


Goal

by DarkVoid116



Category: Veronica Mars (TV)
Genre: BDSM, F/M, Hockey, Hockey Fights, Holidays, Logan is talented, Oral Sex, Post-Season/Series 03, Promptober, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-01
Updated: 2020-10-31
Packaged: 2021-03-08 03:20:22
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 31
Words: 109,099
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26748673
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarkVoid116/pseuds/DarkVoid116
Summary: goal/ɡōl/noun1. an instance of sending the ball into or over the goal, especially as a unit of scoring in a game.2. the object of a person's ambition or effort; an aim or desired result.As Logan skates toward the rest of his life, Veronica moves forward with her own, and two motivated people learn how to be adults.
Relationships: Logan Echolls/Veronica Mars
Comments: 217
Kudos: 113
Collections: VM Fic Club Presents Promptober 2020, VM Sportsball Collection 2020





	1. Unnecessary Roughness

**Author's Note:**

> Huge thank you to CubbieGirl1723 and Twinkles for beta-reading this chapter! Special thanks to Cubbie for her constant encouragement and enthusiasm for my ideas for the prompts and this story.

_May, 2007_

Logan had expected the knock, so he wasn’t surprised when the soft sound reverberated through his Neptune Grand room. Dick glanced up from their video game - Mortal Kombat, once again - and gave him a quick nod, vacating the room. They both knew who was at the door.

“To what do I owe this pleasure?” Logan asked as he answered the door, leaning away from the doorframe. Maybe it was none of his fucking business, but he was still pissed off that she’d even _been_ in _that_ type of situation with Piznarski to begin with. Duncan Kane. Logan Echolls. Stosh Fucking Piznarski. One of those things wasn’t like the others.

“I broke up with Piz,” Veronica ultimately said instead of a response. She glanced down, apparently waiting for him to say something.

Some part of him was thrilled to hear those words, but did it matter? Just because she'd broken up with the disc jerk didn’t mean she’d forgiven him for the Madison debacle. “Sorry to hear that,” he heard himself say reflexively, but, fuck, he wasn’t sorry.

“No, you’re not, but thanks for saying it,” Veronica said.

Logan smirked and moved out of her way so she could come inside. He half-expected her to fall into his arms, the rest of his body thrumming in anticipation of a fight. God, how fucked up was it that both options turned him on?

The last time she’d shown up single like this, they’d fucked away the entire night, then moved right back into the endless cycle of sex and mistrust that doomed their every attempt at a relationship. He really, _really_ didn’t fucking want to do that again. Nothing had changed since the first time he’d told her they shouldn’t be together. He just somehow got the manageable amount of pain then _and_ the unbearable amount later. Of course.

“You need to be careful now, Logan,” Veronica called to him once she’d settled herself on the couch. She twiddled with her thumbs, a nervous gesture that didn’t look right on her.

“I don’t really care if that guy was ‘connected,’ connected,” he said. They both knew he’d taken on the Fitzpatricks with an unloaded gun for her and tackled his maniac of a former friend to protect her. What was a little mob twerp?

“His family is in the Russian mob, Logan. They could put out a hit on you. They could _kill you_!” she shrieked, leaning forward, shaking.

Logan moved so he was squatting in front of her, taking her hands in his and rubbing small circles on her palms. “It would be worth it to punish him for what he did for you.”

She jerked away so quickly that he fell back on his heels. “Are you shitting me? Nothing is worth your _life_ , Logan. So some college assholes have seen me en flagrante. Who cares?”

“I care, Veronica. I care that douchebags like Chip Diller and Dick’s frat buddies are emailing a video of you and _Piz_ ,” he spat the name, “like that.”

Of course she didn’t miss the disgusted way he uttered her ex’s name. “We weren’t together, Logan. You made sure of that.”

Logan stood up, silently shaking. _Guess we aren’t past Madison. Fuck_. “Are we really going to rehash that, Mars?”

“Guess we are, Echolls. I... I wish we could be together, but I still sometimes see you and Madison entwined in some fancy Aspen sheets when I close my eyes.” She took a deep breath.

“And all I can fucking see is you and Pez playing naked tonsil hockey, Veronica!” Logan responded hotly. “God, do you think that’s easy for me? I love you so fucking much and I have to watch a video floating around of you on display, making out with the asshat who followed you around like a puppy while we were dating. I know you said you didn’t cheat on me, but he would have gotten with you while we were together if you’d wanted to. What do you think that shit does to me, that you’d willingly be with someone like him? It’s like Duncan all over again.”

He could tell his words made Veronica pause - he’d gotten through, even if the words hurt. They had so much damn baggage between them. Lilly. Aaron. Kendall. Duncan. Hannah. Madison. Piz. Beaver. He didn’t want to throw his insecurities on her, but honestly, what the hell did she expect, coming here? Their combined emotional maturity was that of an inexperienced pre-teen when it came to each other.

“I’m sorry, but it wasn’t like that for me. I knew he had a crush on me while we were dating, but you must know that I didn’t want to be with anyone else the entire time we were together, Logan. You moved on first!”

Logan got up and paced around the living area, squeezing the soft material of the couch to calm himself. “I _moved on_ ,” he strangled out, “because you told me in no uncertain terms that you couldn’t, wouldn’t ever, get past Madison.” It really fucking sucked that one drunken night, when they weren’t even _together_ , was going to sink their relationship. He doubted she’d ever forgive him. He knew some of why she hated Madison Sinclair so fervently, but it hadn’t been a ploy to make her mad. It hadn’t been a revenge fuck. It was a lonely, depressed fuck, at least for him. He was pretty sure he’d convinced her to put her head under the sheets so he could pretend she was _literally anyone else_ , but Veronica wouldn’t want to hear the sordid details.

Sex was more important to her than it was to him. He knew, on some deep introspective level, that he used sex as a mental escape, a secondary way to drown away his sorrows when alcohol wasn’t working. 

Veronica had been the more innocent of the two of them when they were younger, and although she’d hardened after Lilly died, her attitude toward sex had remained the same. Lilly and Aaron had ruined any chance he ever had of holding sex sacred. Kendall and Caitlin drove home the point that it wasn’t something he should care about, because then they would use it as a weapon over him. Only with Veronica, was it different. Kissing her made him feel more alive than the wildest times with Kendall.

He knew Veronica felt differently about these things, though. As far as he knew, she’d only willingly had sex with Duncan and him, and they were both with her for an extensive amount of time, in love with her for _years_ , before she’d had sex with them. Logan understood that her history made it impossible to understand why he would sleep with Madison. He got that, but it didn’t prevent his mind from wallowing in self-loathing any time it was reminded of what he’d lost.

Her voice broke through his hazy downward spiral of Madison-centric regrets and brought him back to the present.

“I can’t get past Madison. At least, not yet, Logan. And if we’re not together, I can’t have you fighting my battles for me. Piz was, well, pissed. He didn’t like the fact that my feelings for you aren’t gone yet, that I cared that you stood up for me. If I have any chance to move on from you, you can’t keep doing this. Please. Let me go, Logan.” She couldn’t look at him, instead shifting to stare out at the balcony. God, they were both a mess.

He resumed pacing, turning to face the refrigerator, to avoid looking right at her. “I can’t. I love you, Veronica. And you said you did, too, when I asked if you loved me.” He spun and risked glancing at her, dismayed to see her staring at the ground now.

“That isn’t enough to keep us from having issues, Logan. I ruined Dad’s career, probably. I got you in the fucking Russian mob’s crosshairs. It’s just not enough, even if true.”

_If_ . Logan had alway assumed she was simply gun-shy about admitting out loud that she loved someone... but, if? He sagged, knowing that even if Veronica _did_ decide to forgive him for Madison right then, that he’d say no. They needed the summer apart to collect their thoughts and figure out what they needed. “Maybe you’re right and we need to be out of each other’s lives for a bit.”

He could tell she was startled by the about-face, but then her expression settled into a pensive frown. “Yeah. OK.”

Logan got up and walked to his fridge, scooping up a Sprite and opening the can to a light sizzle. “You can keep your key for now, I guess,” he compromised.

He wasn’t surprised when she got up and walked cautiously to the door, glancing hesitantly back at him. The change in the mood of their conversation had thrown her, but she left without argument. 

That could have gone better.

...

Dick waited until he was absolutely certain the rich-dude kryptonite had left the suite before emerging from his bedroom. “Harsh, bro. That was some serious roughness. Unnecessary,” he laughed out when Logan threw a pillow at him. “I’m just saying that didn’t go well.”

He didn’t really understand why exactly his best friend was so damned hung up on Veronica Fuckin’ Mars, of all people. But then again, he’d never been in love, so he didn’t understand any of the emotional crap Logan dealt with.

“No. It didn’t. Dick, I have a weird question. Why did you forgive me for sleeping with Madison?”

Dick shrugged. “Yeah, that wasn’t cool, bro. But what was I gonna do? You’re my best friend. I know you don’t, like, dig her like that, and she and I are over. Done.” He paused, considering what he’d overheard. “I hate Mars, but I think she’ll get past that, man. You shouldn’t wait around for her, though. She isn’t good enough for you. You need to try to move on.”

Logan looked down at the nearly empty soda in front of him. Dick was pretty sure his friend had only just gotten that. At least he was binge-drinking sugar-filled drinks and not alcoholic ones. The last thing he needed on his hands was a drunk-off-his-ass Logan to deal with. The Logan from January who moped around for a week after their breakup was someone he never wanted in their suite again.

“I love her, man. She’s it for me,” Logan bemoaned. 

“Why? What is it about her?” He’d never really gotten it, and maybe it was the emotional carnage left behind in his pop’s wake talking, but he felt more generous now. Maybe if he heard the Logan-and-Veronica story straight from Logan, he’d understand it more.

“Her passion for her work. Her love for Mr. Mars. How she’s, as Fennel says, a marshmallow on the inside... All of it, Dick. It helps that she’s hot, don’t get me wrong, and everything between us is definitely explosive and passionate. She makes me feel the way you do, that I’m worth a shit, that the violence I lived with with Aaron isn’t all there is to me,” he confessed. “You, V, Duncan, and Lilly helped me when shit got real bad at home. She was my enemy when Mom died and she still helped when I didn’t think Mom killed herself, no questions asked. She was with me even after Aaron tried to fucking murder her and her dad. I’m proud of her and I like the person she’s become and the person she makes me want to be.”

Dick kind of got it, then. Living with his dad and brother hadn’t been an easy thing, but life with Aaron Echolls must have been pure hell. The asshole had fucked and murdered the girlfriend of the son he beat. His own dad was horrible, but nowhere near that kind of pure evil. Beaver had been all kinds of fucked up, and though nobody had ever brought it up, he was pretty sure he’d actually... fuck, did he not want to think about that. He wanted to remember the kid, not the murderer. “Sounds like she does for you what you do for me, man.”

“Yeah. Maybe.” Logan smiled from his place hunched over, offering a weak smile, and Dick thought maybe they’d be OK.

...

After her fight with Logan, Veronica decided she needed to make a change. She was still set to leave for her FBI internship soon, but knew she couldn’t come back to Neptune afterwards. Too much had happened. She’d ruined too many lives. Caused too many deaths.

Wallace was on the Castle’s radar even worse than before. Her dad had lost the Sheriff’s election because of her decision to not leave well enough alone. Piz was mad at her, and they were over. Logan was in shambles, a target of the Sorokin family. Mac was OK, at least. She’d merely committed a crime against the Kane family. No big deal.

She leaned her head against the steering wheel and let the guilt wash over her. Most of these events were her fault. She didn’t regret what she'd done with Piz, but it felt like a fresh violation to have her nude body broadcast across the internet. She regretted getting her father involved and despised that she’d allowed herself to become so self-involved that she missed the moment when she began breaking laws herself for nothing more than revenge. Gory Sorokin was a dirtbag and a criminal, but she could have gone through official channels, through her father. They could have subpoenaed him, charged him with distributing pornography, _something!_ Then all those bad things wouldn’t have happened.

The conversation in Logan’s suite was the final straw. Veronica knew she needed to get the hell out of Neptune before her family and best friends went down with her. She’d stay in contact with Mac, Wallace, Weevil, her dad, maybe Piz and Parker... 

Logan, she’d need to think about. Contact with Logan would mean remembering the way his lips felt against that pulse point on her neck, how he could paint a delicious portrait across her body with just a sweep of his tongue. God, the things that boy could do to her made her crazy. Which was exactly why she was considering, at the very least, a real break. She hadn’t meant it when she’d told him he was out of her life after he beat up Piz. She didn’t think Logan _could_ be out of her life. The closest she’d gotten to that was the lead-up to the Alterna-Prom, but once they reconnected at the end of the school year, a part of her knew she would never _fully_ let him go. She didn’t want to.

Veronica got out of her car and trudged up the stairwell toward their apartment. She needed to pack for the internship, but now she figured it was really packing for after the summer, too. Packing for the rest of her life.


	2. Red Card

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Many thanks to CubbieGirl1723 & Twinkles for their beta-read.

_ May, 2008 _

Logan knew, somewhere in the deep recesses of his mind, that this was fucking  _ it _ . His last chance, blown as quickly as Veronica could shatter his heart. He probably deserved this. The last... God, he didn’t even know how long it’d been now, had been brutal as hell.

Veronica walking away from Neptune had crushed him, decimating the pipe dream he had of them reconciling, of a future with puppies and sweet nothings as they watched the Padres win a World Series with her dad.

What was the point in continuing on after that? He’d thrown himself into the bottle more fervently than any prior time he went on a drinking binge. He stayed away from anything harder than marijuana, knowing from experience how badly that shit fucked with his brain. Part of him wondered if the amount of alcohol he drank on a weekly basis wasn’t worse than a spot of coke or a little E, but he needed to escape somehow. 

Dick had kept him from completely skipping his classes, but even his friend couldn’t magic an A grade into existence. Or even a C.

Which led to Logan’s current situation, shrinking into his black chair under the withering glare of the latest Dean of what-the-fuck-ever to sit him down in one of Hearst’s office buildings. This one was maybe the head of the academic department he was enrolled in? He didn’t fucking know or care.

“Mr. Echolls, if you don’t pass your finals with marks high enough to earn passing grades in at least two of your classes, we’ll have no choice but to kick you out.” The dude heaved an exasperated sigh. “You’re wasting all of our time. We... chose to overlook the behavioral incidents involving alcohol last semester, but you are out of chances. This is your Red Card.”

Logan honestly didn’t know if Hearst could legally do that based on his grades alone, but he’d gotten off lucky when, on multiple occasions, he showed up clearly smashed to his Business lecture. He was lucky they didn’t call the police. Even if the new Sheriff was an incompetent, and corrupt, douchebag, Logan didn’t want to deal with the scornful,  _ you’re-Aaron-Echolls’-kid!  _ looks he got from everyone except Sacks any time he was near the Neptune police station. 

“So I guess I’ll have to pass,” Logan said with a smirk. He’d chosen to forego a wiseass crack given the seriousness of the situation, but nothing could keep him from sarcastic faces.

“Indeed,” the Dean replied. “In the event you do not, you will not be welcome back here. We will provide an official transcript to you upon written request should you choose to continue your education elsewhere.” He hesitated. “Pardon me, Mr. Echolls, as this is not my place, but if I may, I think you should consider talking to one of our grief counselors here. I know a woman named Ms. James at Neptune High held sessions after the death of your late girlfriend, but according to my sources, both your father and your friend died on the same night. After your high school graduation,” he added, his face pulled into a sympathetic frown.

Logan stared back, not knowing how to respond. Maybe he  _ did _ need someone to talk to, but it certainly wasn’t because of his murderous father or his best friend’s rapist younger brother. The moment Veronica had revealed that Beaver raped her, that friendship ended and any feeling of kinship he had with Beaver disappeared on the spot. He hadn’t wanted Beaver to die, but no matter what had happened on the roof that night, he would have never wanted to talk to Beaver again. “I’ll take it under advisement.”

“Have a nice afternoon, Mr. Echolls.”

Logan stood up once the conversation was clearly at its close and walked out of the small cubed office, slamming the door behind him. He was nearly out of the small building when he spotted the one advisor who’d helped him last semester and decided to detour to his office to say goodbye. He’d decided near the end of that meeting to just punt his finals and get the fuck out. Only Dick, Mac, and Wallace would even miss him. Maybe Parker, but Logan didn’t know where they stood these days. He hesitated at the entryway, but the man noticed him before he could leave.

“Logan, come on in.”

...

“Hey, Dad,” Veronica said as she picked up her cell phone. She was in the middle of studying for a final, the last of her exhausting slate for the spring semester. Stanford was tougher than she imagined it would be, but nothing Veronica Mars couldn’t handle.

“Hi, honey. How are things?” Keith asked her. She could hear the pure joy and satisfaction in his voice. He was so,  _ so _ proud of what she’d made of her life.

She was truly grateful he didn’t hold it against her that her idiocy and crimes cost him the Sheriff’s election. He would’ve crushed Vinnie had she not broken into the Kane Estate. It made their conversations about her education drama-free. 

“They’re good. I’m studying right now, actually. I have a Criminal Law final tomorrow. The professor is making us write an essay where we have to basically compose a closing argument for a trial where we think the jury will side against us.”

“I’m sure you’ll do great.” Keith paused and sighed on the other end. “How is your roommate?”

The first roommate assignment she got at Stanford lasted three weeks. Veronica had walked in on the woman snorting cocaine, she’d promptly called campus security and was dormin’ solo within the day. Her second one was sweet and lasted until the end of the fall semester, but Stanford had been too overwhelming for her. Jess had gone back to her hometown to enroll in community college, majoring in economics.

This newest one was a real trip, an outgoing personality reminiscent of Parker, but a meaner person. They didn’t really get along. Melanie preferred partying to studying, and never let Veronica forget it. She had enough natural smarts to get by without dedicating significant time to classwork - but, since Veronica didn’t just want a B grade, they clashed. Veronica needed straight As to graduate near the top of her class.

“She’s OK, Dad. We won’t be rooming together next semester, as you know, but she’s... tolerable. I miss Mac, though,” she admitted. She missed all of her Neptune friends. Mac. Wallace. Parker. Piz. Weevil. Even Cliff, Leo, or Sacks would be a welcome addition to her Stanford life at this point.

Missing Logan didn’t even begin to describe her emotions where he was concerned. She ached for him, for his arms wrapped around her waist as they snuggled together, for his lips lighting up the sensitive spots on the nape of her neck, for his voice whispering loving words into her ear... she just really fucking missed him.

Thankfully, with her jam-packed class schedule, her libido barely had time to breathe, so she didn’t have the opportunity to miss the physical side of a relationship with Logan too badly. Though, of course, she missed that, too. She’d mostly forgiven him for the Madison incident at this point, but wasn’t sure how she could ever get back the intimacy they had during that wonderful summer before college. The look on his face during their last fight kept her up at night. Just the thought that Logan might believe she didn’t love him tortured her. She spent as little time dwelling on that possibility as she could, but her dad’s question brought the fear back.

“I know you miss Mac, honey,” he said finally. “She’s doing great at Hearst. You know I check in on them from time to time.”

By unspoken agreement, her dad never confirmed one way or another whether ‘them’ included Logan. She knew it included Wallace, Mac, and, at her behest, Weevil. He might have softened on Logan by the end of her time at Hearst, though. So during particularly tough times she dreamt that he  _ did _ watch out for Logan, keeping him in a good emotional place until some elusive future time where she and Logan could get their acts on the same page and be mature enough to handle a relationship. 

“I know you do, Dad. It’s just not the same here. I don’t make friends too well. I miss them.”

“Yeah.” Her dad paused again and they let the conversation lapse into a comfortable silence. “I’ll let you get back to studying, honey,” he eventually said.

Veronica whispered a “Bye, Dad” before hanging up. She stared down at her notes and began rereading the small, minute details her professor was trying to drill into their skulls. Part of her knew that the woman was just being thorough, but it annoyed her nonetheless.

Eventually, she found her thoughts drifting back to Mac and Wallace. Were they friends with Logan? Did they know what he was up to? She didn’t think so. What about Parker, or Piz? Even though Piz had been  _ pissed _ at her at first - Parker too, really - they’d talked a few times in the last year. She liked having the easygoing friendship back, but knew he still had feelings for her.

She just didn’t feel the same way he did, which kinda stunk. It would be  _ so _ much easier to be satisfied with the comfortable thing she had with Piz, but the relationship was just lacking in so many ways. She didn’t feel the fiery passion, that breath-stealing desire to kiss him senseless and ignore the world for a week.

She knew he was finally pursuing that New York internship that he’d turned down last year. She was glad for that. Wallace was doing well in his program. He was the one person from Neptune besides her dad who she made an active effort to remain in consistent, weekly contact with, though mostly because he called or texted her a ton. After her Logan-centric thoughts, she needed a call with him, actually.

Veronica dialed the familiar digits and waited until the third ring for him to pick up. 

“Hello?”

“Hey, Wallace.”

“Hey, Supafly. How’s Stanford this fine day?”

She chuckled despite herself. He was so good at making her feel better about whatever was going wrong in her life without even trying. Two brief sentences had her smiling in a way her dad couldn’t manage these days. “The usual. Tell me about Hearst. You kick your finals’ asses, best friend of mine?”

The throaty laugh brightened her mood even more. “Got one back.” He paused, torturing her as he made her wait. “A-minus.”

“Phone high five, Wallace!”

“Thanks, V. How are yours going?”

She sighed, hating how the wind was immediately knocked out of her sails. “They’re tough. I have a criminal law one tomorrow.”

“Sounds like you’re not enjoying it, V.”

“I am. I just miss everyone. Dad is so excited about this and it’s everything I’ve wanted for so long. I can’t believe I sort of regret leaving Hearst,” she admitted.

Wallace was quiet on the other end of the phone for so long that she wondered if she’d accidentally dropped the call. 

“You got closer to Mac, and met Piz and Parker. It makes sense, V,” he said after about thirty seconds had passed.

She noticed how carefully he omitted any talk of Logan. “I guess. That year at Hearst affected me more than I thought. I’ll be OK, Wallace.”

“Veronica... maybe it’s time to start dating again,” Wallace suggested hesitantly. She could hear the trepidation with which he approached the topic through the phone.

The part of her heart carefully stowed away as Logan’s balked at being with anyone else, but she knew he had a point. Unless she wanted to head back to Neptune some time soon, she wasn’t going to reunite with Logan, and remaining solo during the summer would be the first real test to her loneliness. 

“I’ll consider it. I’m not ready for anything serious, though, Wallace. The two serious boyfriends I’ve had have destroyed me when they broke up with me.”

Wallace protested through the phone. “You should be happy, V. Kane was a jerk, and... your other ex would want you happy.”

That was as close as Wallace would get to admitting Logan wanted her happy, and that was fine with her. “I’ll try to start somewhere, Wallace. We’ll see.”

“Thanks, V. I’ll talk to you soon, OK?”

“Sure.”

Once they hung up, Veronica let herself collapse back into her bed and stared at the grey ceiling fan oscillating above her. Dating... she didn’t want to let go of her dream of being with Logan again, but she also knew she had to start somewhere. 

Dating. Maybe it was time.


	3. Penalty

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to CubbieGirl1723 for the beta-read!

_ December, 2008 _

Veronica tried to listen to her date as he chatted about his job and family. None of it interested her, but that wasn’t surprising. She’d tried dating several times since her talk with Wallace six months ago. Some of those men got a second date, and even fewer still got a goodnight kiss at the end of that follow-up evening, but none of them scored with her. She couldn’t bring herself to have sex with anyone right then. It somehow felt like she would be cheating on Logan despite the time and distance that’d developed.

She felt guilty enough about how she’d gone right back to Duncan after their first summer. When she thought back on her first real time with Duncan now, she felt her insides tearing her heart out and spitting it back up at what Logan must have been feeling. She herself had hated seeing Logan come out of Kendall’s bedroom that night, and it was just meaningless sex for him. He hadn’t been with Kendall before her, gone running right  _ back _ into her arms after.

The man in front of her didn’t stir up any of those feelings of regret and jealousy. He was probably the next in the line of one-and-done dates, unless things improved quickly.

“What do you do?” he asked after finishing a quick recap of his last girlfriend and the reasons they hadn’t worked out. Seriously, who the hell did that on a first date? Was he intentionally trying to sabotage?

“I’m in an undergraduate program at Stanford; I’m double majoring in psychology and law. I also have a private investigator license.” Veronica sipped her water slowly, watching his face for any reaction. She couldn’t help but compare the carefully schooled expression on her date to Logan’s typical no-holds-barred, loving gaze. Logan came out the winner.

“That’s cool,” he settled on. “A little young for a PI license, though, right?”

Veronica ground her teeth together, barely holding back a rude retort. “I solved cases with my dad, who used to be a sheriff.” This idiot in front of her didn’t deserve any further explanation.

He took the hint then and changed the subject. The silence they eventually fell into was more comfortable than awkward, but by the end of their dinner, both of them knew there would be no second date or nightcap action.

As soon as Veronica got into her car, she called Wallace. Since she began seeing people again, they’d settled into a routine where she called to discuss her dates. It was his best friendly duty to let her vent or be happy, depending on how the evening went. Far more often than not, it was to vent. 

“Hey, Walllace,” she said when the ringing stopped.

“How’d it go?”

No preamble, just how she liked it with him. “There won’t be a second time with this one.”

“Damn. That good, huh? Did you tell him you’d bust him if he was a drug-dealer? You know how men just love to hear that, V.” He paused. When he spoke again, the light pretense was gone, his tone sincere. “This one was one you met through a friend?”

“He was, but we didn’t click.”

“Your definition of clicking isn’t like everyone else’s, Veronica,” he chided. “What did he do that was so bad?”

Veronica knew he was right, and her definition of clicking  _ was _ a bit unrealistic, but... “He was rude.”

“Well, that’s different,” Wallace told her, making her eternally grateful he always had her back. Then he pivoted, catching her off guard. “You have any dates lined up for the rest of your break?”

“No. I was going to go home to visit Dad for the first time in forever, but he won’t be in Neptune.” He’d apparently decided to go on a holiday excursion, not expecting Veronica to decide to head home.

“Come to Chicago,” Wallace offered. “If you were going to fly home anyway, just fly here.”

Veronica thought about it. She still hadn’t met Wallace’s dad, and it might be fun to spend some quality best friend time with him. “Sure.”

They spent the rest of their time ironing out the details of her trip. She was pretty excited. It would be fun to spend time in Chicago without worrying about dating, school, Neptune, and the many things which constantly worried her mind.

...

Wallace picked her up from the airport and together they travelled to his dad’s house. Nathan - she couldn’t bring herself to call him anything else - had multiple guest bedrooms, so she dropped off her suitcase in the one designated as hers, taking a moment to admire a beautiful portrait of Wrigley Field hung on the wall behind the TV stand.

On their way back home from the airport, Veronica had asked Wallace about picking up some deep dish pizza. Having never been to Chicago, she knew that was the one food she for sure wanted to try. She took her time changing into a warmer attire, a light blue sweater and dark blue jeans, then went out into the kitchen where she’d left Wallace.

“Ready to go?” he asked. 

“Yeah.”

They borrowed his dad’s car and went to a local pizza joint. The walls were littered with autographed pictures of famous Chicago athletes, from Andre Dawson and Ernie Banks to Minnie Miñoso and Michael Jordan. Veronica hadn’t really cared about basketball, but as a young kid growing up in the 1990s, she knew who Jordan was. He was larger than life. 

The actual pizza was enjoyable, though she doubted she’d make return trips to the Windy City just for its Deep Dish.

It was after she’d eaten, on her way back from a quick bathroom trip, that she first noticed Wallace was acting... anxious. He kept glancing subtly down at his phone, reading text messages. He didn’t respond to any of them, which was her second clue that something was up with him.

When she asked him about it, he deflected, mentioning something about someone he had plans with. But she knew Wallace, and knew that if he’d made plans with some new girl, he couldn’t have waited more than five minutes before texting her about it. That was the third clue.

Looking back the next day, she was ashamed that she didn’t solve him then.

It was more of the same when they got back to his dad’s place. They watched a movie together, Veronica leaning her head into her bestie’s shoulder, healthy and happy about spending her Christmas break in Chicago. 

But Wallace kept texting someone.

The next night, when Wallace made some excuse about having forgotten plans with a friend, Veronica called a cab while he was getting ready, paid extra to have the cab wait a block away, and gave Nathan some half-baked excuse about needing to shop for gifts. She followed Wallace’s cab from a distance and watched as he pulled into the hockey arena where Chicago’s minor league AHL team played - the Chicago Wolves.

Getting out of the cab, she tossed the agreed-upon extra bills on the middle console, and crept along the edge of the arena, surprised that she still had an eye on Wallace without needing to go inside.

He was checking his watch every few minutes, apparently waiting for someone. Who did he know who would... work here? Play for the Wolves? Was he meeting some new friend? He’d only gotten to Chicago a few days before her, and she was pretty sure he didn’t have any family.

Maybe he actually was meeting a girl. Veronica felt momentarily silly and even saddened he might not have mentioned this new girl, but that quickly disappeared when the door to the arena opened and Logan Fucking Echolls stepped toward Wallace, his arms outstretched for a hug.

Ugh, what a party foul.  _ Penalty, Fennel _ , Veronica thought glumly. He’d slipped off to meet  _ Logan?! _ She hadn’t known that they’d been in touch, though she had essentially forbid Wallace and Mac from mentioning him, but... she was visiting Wallace! 

She decided to stay in the shadows and observe her ex-boyfriend, the last guy she’d had real feelings for, and her best friend. Standing there, Veronica took the time to give Logan a once-over. He was dressed in a grey-and-red hockey jersey with a face of a wolf front and center; her mind caught up to her eyes a moment later, realizing with a start that it appeared Logan was playing for the Wolves. She hadn’t even known he  _ liked _ hockey. In fact, once, when her father had mentioned the Kings’ recent win during one of their half-cocked family dinners, Logan’d shot down any discussion of hockey.

What had changed?

She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn’t notice when Wallace and Logan had moved from their place near the inner sanctuary of the arena and walked outside. Not until Logan’s soft “Veronica” reached her ears did she turn and face her ex-boyfriend. 

“Hey, Logan.”


	4. Hat Trick

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for CubbieGirl1723 for beta-reading!

_ May, 2008 _

Logan had been inside this particular advisor’s office plenty of times, holding onto one of the few decent adults at Hearst like a crutch when things went off the rails. He’d typically been drunk off his ass and in no mood to take stock of his surroundings, though, so this visit was the first time he’d noticed things like the fact that Mr. Enhart had a family, a wife and kids. They made a picturesque one, complete with the white picket fence and a swingset in the background. It was... sweet.

“Logan, how have you been?” he asked, plopping into the swivel chair. He adjusted the plain reading glasses so they sat higher on his nose. 

“Hey Mr. Enhart. Not great, which you probably know,” he replied. He couldn’t help but scratch the back of his neck, oddly shy in the face of someone who held him to high standards and cared about his success. Keith Mars had been one of the only other adults who ever gave a shit about him, and he’d let him down plenty. Logan finished his walk around the desk and took a seat in the purple plastic chair, scooting forward so there was room to talk behind him.

“I did hear, yes. It’s a shame. That’s actually why I’m glad you came by. I wanted to talk to you about some of your options after Hearst.” The older man reached behind his chair, pulling a large white folder from the cupboard on the shelf. “Here. I put together a few potential choices for you. I wanted to help out.”

Logan took the folder and peeled it open, sliding several packets out from the inside pockets. He glanced over them, immediately eliminating any careers he found particularly unsuitable. He couldn’t see himself ever wanting to act after living with Aaron, and Sacks alone would ensure he never had a career in law enforcement. He didn’t even want to work in law enforcement, anyway. The Navy held more appeal, but the two choices that caught his eye the most were boxing and hockey. Aaron had never signed him up for boxing, probably out of fear that he’d use what he learned to stop him from beating on his son, but he had let Logan play hockey as a young kid and pre-teen. 

Hockey had joined surfing as one of the few outlets Logan actually felt improved his life when things got particularly rough. It helped that he was fucking  _ good _ at it. It was one of the only things that he was good at that nobody had the ability to tarnish.

...Until Aaron beat him so fucking badly that he had a concussion - and blamed it on hockey. Scoring a goal or executing a crisp pass through his opponent’s legs to set up a shooting lane lost its luster. The pleasant memories were replaced by the sympathetic frown of the orderly at the hospital, admonishing him to be more careful. His asshole of a father had ruined a perfectly useful outlet for his aggression. 

When they moved to Neptune, much farther away from the Staples Center and the Kings, Logan abandoned any notion that he enjoyed hockey. He knew that it probably cost him a chance to bond with Veronica’s father, but he just couldn’t get past the disappointment.

Maybe... maybe it was time to try again, though? He’d been very, very good. His youth coach recommended him to start at center for the league’s all-stars showcase, which in a different world may have led to a high school hockey team recruiting him, or even a college team down the road. In his current reality, he hadn’t so much as picked up a hockey stick in nearly a decade, and didn’t know if it would be like riding a bike.

He was so lost in his thoughts and unpleasant memories that Mr. Enhart’s voice startled him. “Well?”

“What? Oh. I’ll think about these two,” he said, handing back the info packets for the other jobs. “I used to play hockey, and I’ve always wanted to box. Thanks, Mr. Enhart.”

Engrossed in his thoughts once again, Logan got up and pushed the chair back in politely, taking care to close the door gently.

Mr. Enhart was a good one.

...

When he got back to the Grand, Logan took out his laptop and contact list, searching for anyone he still knew with connections to either the boxing or hockey worlds. His father’s agent had been a dead end, the man no more willing to help him than he would be to help a rat.

When Dick arrived home a few hours, later, Logan was at his wits’ end. Nothing fruitful had come from his evening reaching out to friends. When he briefly explained the situation to Dick, his best friend’s eyes lit up and Logan had a feeling things might be OK.

“You know Kendall was a Laker girl, right?” Dick asked.

Yes, he knew that. He knew intimately how she felt doing her splits atop him. And  _ Dick _ knew that his evil stepmother was persona non-grata in their suite. But... “Go on.”

“Dad met her by sitting courtside at a Lakers game. The person who got him those tickets, though, didn’t have Lakers connections. They knew someone high up with the Kings.”

Logan smiled for the first time in several hours. “Do you have their info?”

“Yeah. Let me just give them a call. They used to come to Dad’s Christmas party every year. I think Mom went to high school with them or something.”

He listened to Dick’s side of the conversation as he gushed about the great, unknown hockey prospect he was friends with who would be very willing to come in at any time for a tryout. He talked up Logan’s ability to take a beating and stay on his feet, his history of hockey as a kid, and even tossed in some stats Logan had written down for him to rattle off -  _ he scored a point in 90% of the games he played, averaging five per four games, man!  _

The end result was a half-hearted agreement to get Logan in for  _ one _ tryout. He knew he’d have to absolutely wow whomever met with him to have any shot. That, or toss around his father’s last name for some clout, but he really, absolutely, fucking did not want to resort to that. Wasn’t avoiding using his last name the entire point of going to college in the first place? His summer with Veronica had made him want to become a better man, for her and eventually for himself.

Logan stressed himself out more than usual over the next few days, driving Dick so crazy that he finally said enough was enough and dragged them both to the local ice rink. They laced up some skates and took to the ice. For Dick, it was his first venture onto a rink, so he was predictably off balance, falling every couple of minutes and struggling to even stand fully upright.

Logan was pleased to discover skating invoked his muscle memory. By the end of their hour of public ice time, he was gliding around the ice, comfortable and confident in his own skin. He even rented a hockey stick for the final fifteen minutes of the session, practicing his backhand and forehand shots in front of a wall.

When the time came the next day for his tryout, the scout tested his skating speed, shooting velocity, ability to stop at the drop of a hat - literally, to Logan’s amusement - and balance on his skates. They made him weave in and out, collide with the boards, shoot the puck from beyond the blue line, take one-timers, and every other little thing they could think to throw at him.

At the end of the two-hour skate-a-thon, the scout told him to come back the next week. They wanted to test him against a live, under-contract goalie before proceeding any further with negotiations on a deal. He took it as a good sign that they hadn’t immediately dismissed him, shook the man’s hand, and arranged a time for the next tryout.

Inside his car, Logan relaxed for the first time in as long as he could remember, content in the knowledge that he had a purpose, a goal to strive for.

Maybe his new life wouldn’t include Veronica, but he was working toward making something of himself for the first time since she left, and he was fucking proud of that.

...

It took most of May and June before the highest-ups in the Kings’ front office finally ventured out to see him. The more he practiced, the stronger he became on the ice. The coordination and skill that landed him on his youth all-star roster had returned in spades; the scouts that spent the most time watching remarked that he was raw and talented with the potential to mature into a controlled shooter with a devastating forehand shot. Los Angeles’ General Manager finally agreed to sign him to their minor league team, the Anaheim Reign, near the end of June. He was to report to their summer training camp in a Los Angeles suburb and remain with them throughout August and September in preparation for the start of their season in October.

The months blended together and before he knew it he’d been named starting center for the team’s October debut. He invited Dick, Trina, Wallace, Mac, and Parker to the game. He still saw Piz sometimes, but the memory of that jackass making out with Veronica killed any chance of a true Logan and Piz friendship from the outset. All five of them came to his game. Wallace even dragged Keith along. Veronica wasn’t there, but then, he hadn’t expected her to get wind of his lifestyle change. 

He knew she’d basically instructed Wallace and Mac to avoid mentioning him at all, and he doubted Parker or Piz would volunteer any information. He and Parker were on pretty good terms, all things considered, but she still wasn’t jumping for joy at the knowledge he’d been in love with Veronica for their entire relationship.

When he scored his first goal as a professional hockey player, he grinned at his makeshift family in the first row behind his team’s goal. Mac and Dick cheered the loudest, Parker constantly jeered at the opponent, and Keith even stood there with a serene smile playing across his lips. It was a surreal scene.

After the game, Logan met up with them and offered to take them out for dinner at the local pizza joint, paying for the group’s food. The conversation was amicable, nobody straying too far from the imaginary approved topics list. There was no mention of Beaver or Veronica or Aaron, and he was grateful that this unlikely group could band together for him. It felt like things were pointing up.

...

The day he got traded, Logan was eating lunch with Dick, preparing for that evening’s home game. They’d decided to grab subs at one of the local sandwich shops and eat together. 

They had  _ finally _ moved out of the Neptune Grand now that neither of them wanted to live the high-flying party lifestyle. With Logan ready to embark on a road trip with the team after the game, Dick would be left with only Mac in town. Wallace had gone back to visit his birth father for the holidays, and wouldn’t be back until well into the new year.

It was why Logan was startled when his phone rang and even more surprised to see his agent’s number. When he picked it up, the last thing he expected was to hear the news he’d been traded. “To who?”

“The Chicago Wolves. They’re the affiliate for the Blackhawks.”

“I have to move to  _ Chicago _ ?” he whisper-yelled into the phone. Dick raised an eyebrow at the mini outburst, shaking his head.

“Yes. You should be happy. The Wolves are a better team, and the Blackhawks a very well-run franchise. That they wanted you speaks volumes about your performance.”

Logan considered the truth in that. Very few people in his life had ever really  _ wanted _ him around. Dick, always. Duncan and Beaver, before they became wanted criminals. Lilly, Parker, and his mom, in their own ways. Veronica. Keith. Wallace. Mac. It was a slowly growing list, owing to that pesky Mars influence. Hell, he even kind of liked Mr. Mars’ lawyer buddy Cliff now. Stare down murder charges together and a fella grew on you.

He chose his words carefully. “I really wanted to be a King, but if you tell me this is a great opportunity, I believe you.”

“It is. You’ll have to leave on a flight out of Los Angeles International tonight. It leaves at 8:00 P.M. our time and lands around 2:00 A.M. local time. There will be a cab waiting to take you to the team hotel.”

He sighed. “I’ll be there.”

His agent wrapped up their conversation in short order, telling him he’d be in touch. After he hung up, Logan glanced at Dick despondently. “I’m leaving tonight for Chicago. I got traded.”

“I gathered. Harsh, bro.” Dick’s deliberate decision to leave their conversation there and pivot to happier topics was one of the main reasons Logan really liked having him for a best friend.

During the rest of the conversation, Logan allowed his mind to wander. It was a massive change to live in Chicago. Wallace was spending his winter vacation there, so he’d at least have a friend to break in the city with him. The longer he dwelled, the more the idea grew on him. He’d spent his entire life within driving distance of Tijuana, and beyond a trip to Aspen or to one of his parents’ movie sets, he’d barely ventured outside California. Moving to the Windy City, going to a Cubs game, hearing legendary tales about Michael Jordan... all of those things appealed to him. And while his salary wasn’t anything to live on, when combined with his trust fund, he wouldn’t be hurting for money. He could go back to Neptune any time and visit Dick or Wallace or Mac or Parker. 

He was slowly looking forward to it.

...

All day long, the responses Wallace sent him had been sporadic and distant enough to pique Logan’s curiosity. Perhaps it was a trait he got from his girlfriends, or maybe years of hiding ugly truths about his home life had just ruined his sense of normalcy, but he was suspicious. 

Logan had texted Wallace as soon as he woke up that morning, letting him know he’d landed and would be playing that evening for the first time with the Wolves. He told him he’d leave notice with a security guard that Wallace was allowed inside to wait for him after the game. It was too late to get Wallace tickets to the game, but it would be awesome to see his friend.

Logan wasn’t even sure where along the way Fennel had stopped being  _ Veronica’s _ best friend and had started becoming  _ his _ friend, but he’d woken up one day to the assured knowledge that Wallace was there for him. They didn’t discuss their mutual private investigator pal on unspoken agreement. 

The game went well for Logan. His new coach - who everyone called Coach Dave, the rare approachable teacher in sports - had given him carte blanche to run his line - the second line, for now - however he wanted. This coach took a more passive approach than his last one, choosing to develop his players and comment where appropriate instead of giving them rigid roles. It worked better with Logan’s style, though he’d adapted quickly with his last team. He scored a hat trick in his first game, managing to also sneak a pass through an opposing defenseman’s legs to set up the game-tying goal late in the third period. They’d lost in overtime, but Logan felt the game had gone very well, especially when his teammates invited him out for drinks after.

Had he not been scheduled to meet Wallace, he might have accepted, but as it was, he was too excited to see his friend for the first time in a few weeks. He grinned when he opened the door to the concourse and saw Wallace checking his watch; he waved as he walked closer. “Hey, man!”

Wallace looked up at his voice, returning the smile. “Hey, Logan. How was the game?”

“We lost,” he said. “I got my first hat trick though. So I’m officially a four-points-per-game Wolf, I guess.”

“That’s awesome,” Wallace replied. “Do you want to head to a bar and catch up?”

“I was thinking we could head back to your dad’s place and play some video games. You have a set-up there, right?”

He nearly missed the brief expression of panic that flitted across Wallace’s face at the idea, storing it away for further examination later. “I do, but we can’t go there.”

Hmm. “OK. We can check out one of the local sports bars, then. Since we’re on the north side, there are lots, at least according to my teammates.”

When they stepped outside, Logan felt a tingle go up his spine and turned to face the windows. Wallace followed his line of sight and paled again. That was when Logan realized his eyes  _ weren’t _ playing tricks on him and she was really there. “Veronica,” he muttered softly.

The sound of his voice startled her out of whatever train of thought she was on, and she glanced over in their direction. “Hey, Logan.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Kings' actual affiliate these days is in Ontario, so I decided to keep the nickname and move them to Anaheim; there actually is an AHL affiliate in Chicago called the Wolves.


	5. Stalemate

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to CubbieGirl1723 for her beta-reading and encouragement.

_ December 18, 2008 _

“What are you doing here, Veronica?” Logan asked. The pieces had begun to fall into place, though, Wallace’s avoidance of why they couldn’t go back to his dad’s place chief among them. He sighed and turned to his friend, a momentarily hurt look crossing his features that Wallace hadn’t mentioned it. “She staying with you?”

“Yeah, man,” Wallace said. “I invited her out here to spend the holidays since Keith wasn’t around.” Though he seemed apologetic for hiding it, Wallace wouldn’t show any real remorse for inviting her. Logan knew that. They were best friends. It just sucked that he was so fucking out of her life that they thought it was something they needed to hide, to skirt around. 

Maybe it was his own fault. He’d spent so much time in the last half-year carefully controlling his emotions whenever a memory evoked Veronica. Those walls, the defenses he’d put in place where she was concerned, were quickly crumbling. 

“That’s cool.” He swallowed thickly, turning toward his ex... everything. “Can we talk?”

Logan watched as Veronica hesitated, knowing his own expression fell at that. She eventually nodded slowly. “OK.”

Wallace apparently knew when he wasn’t wanted, choosing to wave at them and head back inside the arena to give them some privacy. 

“Where do you want to have this talk?” Logan asked, motioning towards a mahogany bench with a quick arm wave. When she silently agreed, he walked over and sat on the left edge. He was pleasantly surprised when Veronica didn’t take the other end, instead leaving a merely comfortable amount of space between them.

“So, you’re a hockey player, Lo?” she asked.

He didn’t know why, but it surprised him. The idea that she would be  _ so _ utterly uninterested in his life,  _ so  _ disconnected to not even know he’d been playing hockey hadn’t crossed his mind. For fucks’ sake, her own father had attended his debut. Wallace and Mac... She must have really wanted nothing to do with him for none of them to even mention his life change. 

Though, he knew she was still at Stanford only because of the one time he’d gotten drunk with Mac. She hadn’t been willing to dish on Veronica’s dating life - small mercies, as far as he was concerned - but had told him Veronica was getting good grades at Stanford. Apparently, she hadn’t gotten drunk with a talkative Mac lately. 

“Yeah,” he said. “This is my first season.”

Veronica slowly smiled. “That’s just perfect for you. I bet you lead the team in fights?”

Fuck.

Of fucking  _ course _ she’d think he took up hockey to fight. Not that he disliked the fights; he didn’t. He enjoyed the feeling of planting his fist into some antagonistic asshat’s face a couple times and then getting a two minute breather. Plus, the part of him that wanted to defend his teammates the way he’d defended Veronica came out in spades whenever he saw a dirty slash or an intentional trip. 

But that wasn’t why he’d signed up. 

Despite everything they’d been through, he’d never told her about his hockey past, and damn it, right then wasn’t the time for that. He’d end up crying over his dead dick of a dad, over the years that man had robbed from his childhood, and one time was too many for that. He shook himself, willing the negative thoughts away. What had she asked? Oh, right. Fighting.

“No. I’m not even top three.”

She looked shocked, which struck him to his core. God, was he really such a fucking mess in her eyes? Granted, he’d intentionally drunk himself into a stupor so bad that even goddamned Hearst needed to let him go, but if her lack of knowledge about his hockey career was any indication, he doubted she knew that yet. 

“You? Not top three? Now I know I’m in bizarro world.” She grinned to lighten the punch from her words.

Even still, Logan barely held himself back from snapping at her. For one, Wallace would not be too happy with him. Since the last time they’d fought like only the two of them could, he’d gotten so fond of Wallace that now he feared losing that friendship. If he and Veronica had a gigantic fucking shouting match that ended in words that couldn’t be walked back, would Wallace forgive him? 

“Let’s drop it, please,” he settled on instead. “What’s up in the world of Veronica Mars? Catch any criminals up to evildoing lately?”

“No. Haven’t you heard? I’m on the straight and narrow now. Nothing but textbooks and food for this puppy,” she laughed, pointing at herself. “After Neptune, I wanted to leave the investigating in the rear-view mirror. It had cost me too much.”

Despite himself, Logan wondered if their relationship was something she considered a cost of her job. Did what they had even rate that highly for her? He wanted to believe she’d been as deeply and fully in love with him as he’d been with her, but she’d never said the words. She’d implied it, but... 

He was such an emotional rollercoaster. It was already the second time he needed to shake himself of depressing thoughts and they’d barely been there a few minutes.

“I heard about some of that stuff in Neptune,” he said softly. It was better to focus on her, to maintain eye contact and keep himself out of his own mind.

He followed her eyes as he spoke, watching the way she surreptitiously glanced at his lips. Part of him knew that if he kissed her, it would be the end of the conversational portion of the evening and, holy moly, did he want that. Their passion for each other was the one area he never,  _ ever _ doubted. She always tasted heavenly, a ephemeral combination of promises and sweetness that he drowned himself in any time he was kissing her. If they started down the physical route, though, he was afraid it’d end the same way their previous attempts had.

The last time, she’d shown up at his hotel room and they’d fucked away an entire half a day without coming up for air, too swept up in the joy and relief of finally being in one another’s arms. The time before that, after Beaver, it’d been more of the same, except that time shared grief had been the prevailing emotion. 

He knew that  _ if _ he and Veronica ever got together again, he wanted this time to last for the long haul.

So when she made a move to come closer, he held up a hand, forestalling anything else she was going to do. “No.”

“No?” she echoed in quiet, simmering outrage. “Since when have you said no to wanting to be together? To us.” As she spoke, her voice grew smaller. “Do you...” she trailed off.

The question was clear, though. “I do.” Nothing had changed, there. But... “Everything between us is weird, V. We don’t know each other anymore. You’re not in my life, and I’m not in your life. We have a lot of friends in common, but if you didn’t trust me a year and a half ago, why the hell should I believe you trust me now?”

“Logan, I’ve tried dating. I even kissed a couple of guys at the end of the dates. Every time - every single  _ fucking _ time - I compare them to you. Not to Duncan, my self-proclaimed first love, or to Piz, the last guy I was really well and truly in a relationship with.” She sardonically glanced his way. “He was the Normal Joe people told me I should want after everything between us. But no, I compared them to you. That’s gotta mean something. I can’t get you out of my head, and I honestly don’t really want to.”

Logan paused at her proclamation, particularly at the vehemence behind her words. “Does that change what happened with Madison?” he asked bluntly. “Does it change the fact that when I asked you to drop it and trust me while you cleared... that asshole’s name... you didn’t? You pushed?” He was getting worked up now and needed to calm down and take those deep breaths Dick was becoming so fond of encouraging. “I’d need to believe it to see it. That we work for each other. God, you have to fucking know I want to do nothing more than jump your bones right here on this bench. I’ve missed you so fucking much.”

Veronica blushed at that. “Oh.”

“Yeah. Oh. What happens after that, though? We have mind-blowing, shockingly still-amazing sex, probably multiple times, and then when we wake up we realize we’re back together and yet we haven’t worked through any of our issues. That’s what happens every time.” He took another calming breath. “In the past, I always believed that the fact that we loved each other - or that I loved you - was enough to make it work. I want it to actually work this time, though.”

Veronica glared up at him. “You’re still mad about that?”

He hadn’t realized he was, but... “Yeah. I guess I am.”

“What the fuck, Logan! Just because I paused  _ one  _ time, doesn’t make those other times I said ‘Yes’ any less meaningful,” Veronica yelled at him. His traitorous mind noted how hot she looked when she was angry, her cheeks flushed and her eyes fiery. Then she deflated before him. “You had to know.”

“I did,” he agreed. “But it still stung that you wouldn’t say the words aloud, or imply them in anyone else’s presence. It felt like you were - are - ashamed to be with me.” That was the worst part of it.

“That is  _ not _ true,” Veronica insisted, her eyes beginning to glisten with tears.

“I need to believe that. Maybe I will some day soon,” Logan said. “For now, we’re at a stalemate, I guess.”

“We are.” She hesitated, then plowed ahead anyway. “I’d still like to come to your next game. I want to see this new and improved Logan Echolls in action.”

“Sure,” Logan said. “Why don’t you bring Wallace?”

“Did I hear my name?” Wallace said from off to the side, walking up to the bench. “I saw it getting a little heated, so I figured I’d come and break it up.”

“Logan was just telling me to bring you to his next game,” Veronica told him.

Wallace hesitated. “Can Piz come too? He just texted me and said he was visiting family here and wanted a place to crash for a night or two, and Dad’s got the extra room.”

Logan sighed. He just couldn’t win. 

“Yeah, sure.” He got up, looking skyward. “I’ll leave tickets with the box office. Just get there in advance.” His piece said, Logan walked off, his head held high. That hadn’t been quite as disastrous as he’d feared when he first saw Veronica standing there. They almost got along.

He even had a plan to see her again - that now involved the douchebag who didn’t respect their relationship enough to not sniff around an involved woman.

Logan hadn’t seen the guy in months, yet he already wanted to punch him again.

Fucking Piz.


	6. Playing the Field

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks as always to CubbieGirl1723 for beta reading.

_ December 19, 2008 _

Veronica never thought in a million years she’d be watching Logan Freaking Echolls star in a hockey game. And her ex was definitely the star. The fans in the stands had taken to him like a moth to a flame, a sea of red and grey Echolls jerseys already taking over the crowd. Wallace even wore an Echolls shirsey, though the outdated version from his former team.  _ That _ had been a revelation.

When she’d gotten back to Nathan’s the night she saw Logan, she’d spent time researching Logan’s hockey career, determined to not be left behind again. She’d read an exposé about his spiral that’d ended with a blurb about him getting kicked out of Hearst; she saw nothing for several months after that before he emerged out of the blue as a junior circuit hockey player in October.

She was oddly proud of him. Veronica had always known about his athletic abilities, and the skills he needed for surfing aligned nicely with those required for hockey, as far as she knew. 

“Wallace, do you know if he played hockey before?” she asked suddenly, turning to face her best friend from their silver bench seats.

He’d been engrossed in conversation with Piz, so it took a moment for him to respond. “Not that I know of, V. It took us by surprise, too.”

Veronica glanced at Piz, wondering not for the first time why her ex was even there, watching her other ex play hockey. It was... weird. Piz  _ hated _ Logan. She didn’t delude herself into thinking his animosity had gone away with time. You simply didn’t forget the dude who beat the shit out of you during what essentially boiled down to a drive-by beatdown. 

She turned back to the action, following Logan’s gracefulness with her eyes. Veronica had watched some Kings games with her dad back in Neptune, and enjoyed hockey. It was a game of constant action, and the rink was much smaller than a soccer field. Even if games themselves were low-scoring, the genuine excitement and passion that the players showed when scoring a goal made up for it. 

Logan was really good, too. He was fast with the puck, sidestepping the opposing players, weaving his way to the goal on many possessions. He hadn’t yet scored in this game, but she knew from his stat sheet that he frequently did. 

Her mind wandered to the idea that he’d hidden this side of him from her. She’d thought they knew everything about each other. 

Granted, she was an open book - on the surface - but Logan knew all of her interests. He knew she liked to watch  _ Buffy _ , and that she enjoyed food. He knew that the Big Lebowski was one of her favorites... He knew all the little details about her past with Duncan and Troy and Leo - even the ones he’d rather not. He was maybe the only person who knew the full extent of what happened to her at Shelley Pomroy’s party. 

Maybe he’d played hockey before they met? Did his friends play hockey? Dick? Duncan? She couldn’t imagine Duncan hiding a secret hobby like that from her during their relationship. That meant Logan must’ve played before Neptune, before he met her. 

If that was the case, his skill surprised her. His physical stature was perfect for a sport that involved constant pushing and shoving in an effort to control the puck; that part she knew was right up his alley. But it must’ve been years since the last time he’d regularly skated. How was he still so talented? “Wallace, he’s good,” she marveled

“Yeah. He is,” he agreed. “I went to his first game. I’ve been to a couple of other games when school isn’t too busy.”

“Am I the last to know he plays hockey?” she asked, affronted. 

“Veronica... You’re the one who told him he was out of your life. You can’t possibly be mad that he listened to you,” Wallace reminded her.

“God!” She started to throw her hands up then thought better. “When did you become Logan Echolls Defender Number One?” What happened to the boy she’d ranted to about tire irons and ruined friendships?

Wallace didn’t even give her the satisfaction of appearing to be put out. “I’m not. He’s my friend, V. You can’t expect me to just friend-dump every boyfriend you break up with.”

“You hated him when we were dating,” Veronica countered, biting her lip. If Wallace had approved of him... or if her dad had... 

She might have been able to make it work, with their support. It’d always felt like Veronica in one corner of the ring, Logan bouncing on the balls of his feet in another, and every other important person in her life in a third. “Of course you’d be all buddy-buddy, now,” she groused.

Wallace glanced down at Logan on the ice, a friendly warmth appearing in his eyes. “I didn’t hate him. Well, I mean, I did when I first met the guy. Bashin’ your headlights, and all. Can’t blame me for that.” He grinned.

She supposed he was right about that. Hadn’t she just thought about that incident? God, that day seemed  _ so _ fucking long ago. How many times had they tried since then? Four? Five? Six? She’d honestly lost count. “When did that change?”

“Sorry about all this,” Wallace said offhandedly to Piz, startling Veronica. She’d almost forgotten he was there. Wallace soldiered on. “Did I ever tell you about the day we tried to beat Angie Dahl in the egg drop contest for you? It was right after you got your acceptance letter to Stanford. Logan and I had already passed the assignment. The egg survived the first fall.”

“I remember you telling me that part,” Veronica interrupted.

“He didn’t need to help me - if we beat Angie, you were going to move back into first place in the race for the Kane Scholarship, though. I didn’t even have to explain. He was right there with me. We drank a bunch of caffeine and stayed up for hours trying to win first place and that exemption for us.”

Logan  _ hadn’t _ told her that. That was right in the thick of his father’s trial, when his old feelings for Lilly would’ve been front and center. And yet, he was thinking of her. He didn’t even do it for points, either, since she never found out. Wallace hadn’t said anything, either. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I defended him in the hallway right after. Told you he wasn’t so bad and you should cut him some slack. You dismissed the idea. Then after graduation, I went to Jackie and you went to New York. You and Logan were so into each other after that. I figured it didn’t matter.” Wallace hesitated. He whispered into her ear, lowering his voice so Piz couldn’t hear. “You know about him getting arrested after, uh, Mercer, right?”

Yeah. She preferred not to think of that one. It brought out a torrent of conflicted emotions. On the one hand, Veronica hated Mercer Hayes with the unparalleled fire of a burning sun. He was the worst type of Neptune asshole. 

She wanted to be mad at Logan despite that, but she found it oddly endearing. Stupid and unecessary, but sweet in that Logan way only he could pull off. It also turned her the fuck on that he would defend her even when they were broken up. In fact, every time he’d come to her defense with fists had been during their breaks, or before they first got together - the federal agent, River Stix, the roof, Mercer and Moe, Piz and Gory.

Veronica filed that away as something for Future Veronica to consider. Was that his way of trying to get her attention? Except for the roof, most of those other instances had been when they were at least somewhat on the outs. The Mercer and Moe incident was the only time he’d voluntarily walked away from her first, though. Maybe it was different...

“Yeah, I know,” she replied.

“I haven’t heard that one,” Piz interjected, proving Wallace hadn’t been quiet enough.

“Logan got himself intentionally thrown into jail so he could beat the shit out of Mercer Hayes and Moe Slater. Lamb had to wait a week for the bruises to go away to properly question them. I think they had to go to the hospital.”

Piz frowned. “I don’t get what you see in him, Veronica.”

She turned to him, eyes ablaze.  _ Excuse me? _ “You don’t get why I would like the type of guy who would put his life on the line to protect me? The one who defends me no matter what and takes it upon himself to get vengeance for me? I might not like Logan’s methods, but his heart is always in the right place.”

Piz seemed to deflate a little at the vehemence behind her words. “You should be with someone nicer,” he tried. “Someone who actually gives a shit about your feelings and doesn’t cheat on you.” She felt her eyes widen despite herself. “Oh, you think I haven’t heard that part?”

Her eyes narrowed into unforgiving slits. “Whatever you  _ think _ you know,” she spat. “Logan would never cheat on me. I wouldn’t cheat on him, either. What do you think happens here, Piznarski?” She adopted her Amber voice, eyes wide. “You save me from the big bad wolf and, like, we live happily ever after?” Veronica bat her eyelashes at him, talking as fake sweetly as she could manage, hoping to fucking finally drive the point home. “Two point five kids, a house in the New York suburbs? You could work as a radio host and I could stay at home!” She scoffed.

The way his eyes imperfectibly grew told her all she needed to know. Piz still had feelings for her. Back at Hearst, she’d initially found him harmless, a cute puppy who had an unrequited crush on her. She hadn’t expected him to try to make moves on her while she was with Logan, but, well... she’d been telling the truth. She would never cheat on Logan. Piz hadn’t been at all tempting until  _ after _ Logan moved on with Parker. The last year and a half, she’d thought her friendship with Piz had gotten back to a decent place. Apparently not!

God. What’d she been thinking hooking up with him? Logan had been right, that night in the elevator. He always saw that Piz wanted to get into her pants.

Damn. She slid her eyes back to the ice, realizing she had stopped watching the game during the argument. She owed Logan an apology for telling him the jealousy was misplaced.

She was startled when her eyes found his. Logan was staring right at her, the game apparently over. And he looked hurt.

...

Fucking  _ hell _ . She was flirting with Piz. He could recognize the signs. She’d  _ asked _ to come to his game. She’d shown genuine interest in his new career. Then she fell back into old habits, twisting the proverbial knife just for the fun of it.

Was it all a game to her? Why would she torture him by showing up after the uneasy way they’d left things and then flirting with that piece of shit? God, he hated Piz. Of all the men in her life, Piz was the one he had disliked the strongest. Troy, Duncan, Leo... they were whatever. Piz played at being a good guy. Maybe he was, except when it came to respecting their relationship.

Logan spotted an attractive reporter coming his way and considered laying on the charm to get back at Veronica, but he didn’t want to make someone just trying to do their job uncomfortable to spite his ex. They didn’t deserve to get tossed into the middle of Logan And Veronica, Part Fifteen Thousand.

Logan spotted one of his teammates - Steve - coming his way, the dude’s girlfriend and an unknown pretty brunette in tow. An idea sprouted in his mind and took flight before he knew what hit him. He whispered into the girl’s ear when she stopped next to him, throwing on his best sexy smirk. Veronica was watching. “Wanna help me with something?”

He felt the slight tremor run through her and knew this might work. “Sure.”

...

Logan was talking to some leggy chick on the ice, and the sight made Veronica’s blood boil. Did she mean nothing to him? How could he fucking do that in front of her? 

She’d  _ thought _ \- apparently incorrectly - that they’d made some headway towards a reunion in front of the Wolves’ arena last night. That clearly was not the case if he could so blatantly and openly flirt - if he could intentionally hurt her like this.

Piz might have been oblivious to the pained look that found its way to her face, but Wallace wasn’t. She watched as he followed her line of sight, sighing. Why was he sighing? He was her best friend. Even if he and Logan had formed some weird friendship in her absence, he should still be outraged on her behalf!

Veronica got up, not knowing what she was going to say until they were face to face, but Wallace’s hand on her arm made her pause. “Don’t go down there pissed off, Veronica. It’s what he wants.”

“What do you mean?” she asked, turning back to face him. She shrugged out of his light grip easily enough. 

“You were fake-flirting with him,” he jerked his thumb at Piz, “so Logan’s probably trying to make you jealous.”

Veronica considered that possibility. She  _ had _ made it look like she was flirting. She just hadn’t expected Logan to actually  _ see _ it. Ugh. Fucking Piz, getting in the middle of their relationship, again! “OK. Obi-Wall-Kenobi, what do I do?”

Wallace snorted. “First, never call me that again.  _ Please _ ,” he stressed. “Second, just go talk to him. Use your words. You’re a Stanford student. He’s a professional hockey player. I’m sure you two crazy kids can manage an intelligent conversation. You did last night before it got heated.”

He was right. She was being silly. She gathered her emotions, carefully stowing them away with a lock and key, and walked down towards the area where friends and family were allowed to greet the home team players post-game. 

“Who’s your friend?” she asked when Logan and the girl turned toward her.

“This is Melanie,” Logan said. He turned to  _ Melanie _ , said, “I’ll call you later, OK?” and kissed her on the cheek.

Veronica stood there, stewing in her simmering anger. “What are you doing, Logan?”

“Playing the field like you, I guess,” he said.

Then he walked away from her, and she was not sure if the dismissal was intentional, but it certainly felt like that.

And she really hated it.


	7. A Swing and a Miss

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Many thanks to CubbieGirl1723 for beta reading.

_ December 20, 2008 _

As Veronica lay on her back, the morning sunshine reflecting off Nathan’s Wrigley Field framed picture, she tortured herself over the misunderstanding with Logan from the night before.

She had thought things were getting better between her and Logan, but yet again their inability to communicate honestly with one another had put a kaput on any progress.

Veronica’d spent the time after the game replaying those moments over and over again in her head, regretting toying with Piz more each time. The idiot hadn’t even gotten the hint, acting as if nothing had happened when they got back to Wallace’s dad’s place.

Part of her was sorely tempted to plead with Wallace to make him go away, but it wouldn’t be fair. Wallace had enough to deal with on the Piz front without her making him choose. 

She’d just need to get through to Logan a different way, and not let her idiotic ex cause them any more heartbreak than he already had.

In the end, Wallace had done his best friend duty and calmed her down, reminding her that literally everyone could see how madly in love Logan was with her.

It didn’t help Veronica one bit to have that reassurance now.

When Wallace poked his head into the doorway to let her know they were cooking bacon, egg and cheese sandwiches, she realized she’d been awake, staring into the void, for almost two hours. “I’ll be right there,” Veronica told him.

She busied herself in the bathroom, quickly dressing, trying not to analyze the fact that she’d put far more care into her appearance on a day she was going to see Logan than one where she wasn’t. When Veronica finally emerged into the kitchen, she was in a light blue long sleeve shirt and red pants that stretched to just above her ankles. She was lucky that she already had enough clean, warm clothes when Wallace invited her out to Chicago. 

Piz had found a seat close to the window and studiously avoided her gaze. 

Veronica didn’t blame him. She only hoped maybe the morning sun burned a clue into him. “Morning, boys,” she offered, taking a piece of toast from her best friend’s outstretched hand. “Wallace, can I talk to you?” She chewed absently as she walked away from the table, not waiting. Wallace would follow. 

“What’s up, V?” he asked once they were out of reach of prying ears.

“I need to go clear my head a bit. I’m not done with my Christmas shopping; can I borrow your dad’s car to head to the mall?” Veronica asked. She nibbled at her bottom lip. “I’d ask you to come, but...”

“I can come,” Wallace interjected. “We need some quality best friend time. Piz is going to see some of his family. Dad’s gone, though, so we’ll have to call a cab.”

“Sounds great.” She gave Wallace a small smile, happy he still had her back even after the recent ugliness made her breakup with Piz fresh in his mind again. “Help me make a list of options for gifts for Mac and Dad, oh wise one?”

“Sure thing. Let me just grab my ‘Veronica called me wise’ pen.”

She laughed.

...

The crowds packed the aisles of the mall wall to wall where they were, which didn’t surprise Veronica. She knew that waiting until just  _ five  _ days before Christmas to take an impromptu shopping trip was a terrible idea. The excitement of the semester ending shifting right into a surprise Chicago trip had combined to take up all her time, though. And ever since she’d arrived, the Logan situation kept her thoughts away from gifts.

She needed to break away from Wallace at some point to get the man himself a Christmas gift, which had her eying any store that looked like it’d have basketball apparel.

This year, her gift-giving list was larger than any year since before Lilly’s death, partly because she’d added Logan at the last minute. She’d even contemplated adding Piz, but didn’t want to ask Wallace if her ex was hanging around through the holidays. Plus, exchanging gifts? Definitely mixed signals.

“Look, V! They have the new Buffy-themed iPad case you’ve got on your list,” Wallace shouted over at her, breaking through her thoughts. When had he moved? 

During one of the few times she got visitors at Stanford, Mac had corralled her into a multi-season  _ Buffy the Vampire Slayer _ marathon. Veronica already liked the show, so she hadn’t minded. Mac  _ loved _ that show. When Veronica had seen the new skin for Apple’s latest iPad, it spoke to their friendship on a deep Q-and-Bond level. Veronica missed Mac more than she wanted to admit. Post-Lilly, her list of female friends boiled down to Mac, an ex of an ex, and the dearly departed ghost of Meg Manning. Every other person who stuck around was a guy. This was the third year in a row she’d be getting a gift for Mac, and wanted to add a personal flair to this one to make up for missing friend time.

“Let’s get it, Fennel.”

Walking into the store, Veronica marveled at how foreign some of the new technological gadgets were to her. iPads and iPhones were stacked on shelves, the newer the model the fewer available. There didn’t appear to be any Buffy skins on display, though. She immediately found the nearest salesperson - a young brunette woman about her height wearing a ‘Jenny’ tag - and waited for an opening.

“How can I help you today?” the woman asked once Veronica was the next customer waiting.

“I saw the new  _ Buffy _ -themed iPad cases in the store window, but don’t see them anywhere in the store. Do you have any in stock?” she asked.

“Yes, we do.” Jenny smiled kindly. “We keep all our popular skins behind the counter for the first month. Let me just grab you one and I’ll ring it up.” She walked towards the back of the store; Veronica followed, taking note of where Wallace had wandered off to as she went.

He was engrossed in a conversation near the iPhone accessory display, his attention captivated by the animated way the salesman described what Veronica could only assume were some fancy new features. She snickered at how amusing her best friend could be, then refocused her attention on Jenny, who had scanned the barcode and punched the register keys. 

“How much?” Veronica asked

“That’ll be $18.99.”

Veronica handed her a folder-over twenty dollar bill and waited for her change, her attention drawn away when Wallace clasped his hand on her shoulder, startling her. “Hey,” she greeted him.

“What type of iPhone case do you think Dick would like?”

...What? “Casablancas? Why would you want to get him a case?” Veronica accepted her change and steered Wallace away from the counter so they wouldn’t disrupt the people still in line.

“Oh. Uh.” Wallace looked anywhere but at her, which made her nervous. “He’s not so bad, I guess. When you get to know him.”

“He’s the antichrist, Wallace! I never bothered Logan too much about their friendship because Dick’s always been there for him, but don’t tell me you’re friends with him too!” 

Veronica was aghast. She wrinkled her nose in disgust. “He’s so... Dick!” She wiped at the edge of her shirt, wondering for not the first time if it’d been a mistake to withhold what she knew of Dick’s role in her personal hell from her friends. 

“He’s loyal, and has changed since you’ve been gone, V. He was really there for Logan. Before the trade, Dick tried to go to every home game Logan had. They moved in together. Mac, Parker and I hung out with them pretty often. Things change when your best friend goes to Stanford, I guess,” Wallace told her pointedly.

Veronica felt moisture pool under her eyelids, fighting to keep the tears at bay. She’d never truly regretted leaving Neptune, knowing that it was the best thing for her career. 

But, her friends moved on without her, to the point that Dick Fucking Casablanca made Wallace’s holiday gift list. She was truly happy for them all, but felt their absence in moments like this. “I’m sorry. I know you. If you say he’s changed and he’s your friend, I’ll buy it for now. But, why did you never mention anything about him?” She led them toward the cases, picking up a baby blue case with yellow streaks on the back. If felt like something a surfer might like.

“I didn’t know how to mention him without bringing up Logan,” Wallace offered sheepishly. “You, uh, think that’s the one?” He nodded at the case in her hands.

She turned it over and examined the back. It was a thicker case than strictly necessary, but she doubted Dick had changed  _ so _ much that he wouldn’t be dropping the phone drunkenly every week. “Yeah. I think he’d like this one.”

Veronica stood back and observed the rest of the people in the store while Wallace paid for the case, mulling it all over in her mind. Dick and Wallace. Dick and  _ Mac _ . Mac, Wallace, and Parker were closer with Logan than she was, and that fucking  _ hurt _ .

Despite their roller coaster of a friendship, she never thought her best friend would be better friends with Logan than her.

All thoughts of the prior night’s drama slipped her mind, leaving only a deep sense of regret in its wake.

Veronica missed Logan. She needed to fix things.

...

Logan didn’t know why he was in the jeweler’s shop to begin with. It wasn’t like he  _ really _ wanted to get Trina a gift. He had a mailing address for her, and they’d exchanged Christmas cards the year before, but they still weren’t close.

“It’s guilt, stupid,” he bemoaned aloud. She’d sent him a last-minute present last year - a gift card to Neptune’s local surf shop, delivered through the family lawyer, but a present nonetheless - and now he felt like she deserved an olive branch.

“What are you looking for, sir?” the man behind the plexiglass asked, adjusting his thin-frame glasses.

“Jewelry for my sister,” Logan replied. He sighed, wishing for not the first time that he hadn’t alienated Veronica after the game. He’d woken up this morning, wanting nothing more than to call her for help shopping, but didn’t know where they stood. 

“I’m not good at shopping for her,” he said aloud. He’d even toyed with texting Parker, but while they were on better terms now than ever, texting the ex-girlfriend you used as a distraction for gift advice seemed... unseemly. “She likes diamonds, I guess.”

“Lots of people do,” the man laughed. “Necklace, bracelet, or something else?”

Logan thought of the times he’d seen Trina, either in person or in the tabloids - she wasn’t normally wearing a necklace, and he figured she’d appreciate a more subtle flaunt. “Bracelet.”

“I have just the thing,” he gushed, ushering Logan over to a tall wooden display in the corner of the store. The black inserts within held silver and gold chains, necklaces, earring, bracelets, and every jewelry accessory Logan could think of. The guy pointed at a simple silver band in the upper right corner, complete with a single diamond perched opposite the clasp. “How’s this?”

Logan agreed that it worked with a nod, causing the jeweler to unlock the safety and remove it from the case. While they walked back to the counter, Logan glanced around the store, taking in the enormity of the options. 

Suddenly, a glint reflected off the countertop, catching his eye. He wouldn’t have normally taken notice, but the sharp contours of the silver base of the necklace looked more like a ‘V’ than a heart.

He detoured toward the glass display, picking up the necklace and examining said centerpiece. He was right; it looked like a ‘V’. When he flipped the heart over, the single word etched on the back - ‘love’, printed at a right-leaning angle - was enough to seal his decision. It hadn’t escaped Logan’s attention that the first two letters of his and Veronica’s first names spelled ‘love’. Even on the outs with her ( _ maybe on the outs _ , the voice inside his head nagged), he wanted to get this gift for her for Christmas. “Add this, too,” he said, handing it to the salesman.

“Great,” the man answered, clearly ecstatic to close on a sale of two items this expensive at once. 

Logan handed over his credit card, not even looking at the amount displayed on the register. It didn’t matter.

He had Veronica’s necklace pre-wrapped and both gifts put in a bigger bag, then left the shop, ready to head home.

Logan had just stepped out of the store when he spotted Veronica and Wallace approaching him and froze. “Hey,” he offered hesitantly, at almost the same moment they spotted him.

He watched as Veronica’s eyes darted from him to the bag and back to him, suspicion entering them. He sighed. “Trina. The jewelry,” he clarified.

Veronica’s body visibly relaxed, but Logan had to be imagining that. Wasn’t she mad at him? If the thought of him buying jewelry for that woman last night bothered her so much, she had feelings still. Why had she flirted with Piz, then? 

Veronica eyed Wallace with a question in her eyes, and for the second time that week, their friend left them to have an uncomfortable conversation. 

“I’m sorry I flirted with Piz. It’s not what you think it was.”

Logan scoffed. “You were just exchanging sweet smiles for the hell of it?”

“No,” Veronica replied sharply, the apologetic tone gone. “God, I forgot how frustrating your snark can be.”

“Nice, Veronica.” Logan turned around, making to leave. He paused when her hand closed around his wrist, halting him. He took a deep breath, then waited for her to say something.

“Sorry.” She took a deep breath. “This isn’t going how I imagined. He was annoying me. I used my Amber voice to mess with him. I wasn’t actually flirting with him. In fact, I’m even angrier with him now,” she explained slowly, holding eye contact as she spoke.

Logan watched as she then glanced around uncomfortably. He decided to temporarily let her off the hook and turned to face her fully. “OK. I’m sorry I overreacted and for trying to make you jealous.”

“You did more than try,” she admitted, her eyes glaring fresh daggers at him.

God, he’d missed that look. Even if it meant trouble for him, he really fucking loved how intense and fiery their fights could be when she grew envious. 

“I’m sorry if it made you feel the need to do that, and I accept your apology. Can we move past it?” Veronica asked.

Logan thought about how that would look. Nothing had  _ really  _ changed since the night in front of the Wolves’ arena. He still didn’t believe she would fully accept him in a relationship. He didn’t trust that they wouldn’t be her dirty little secret. “We can,” he hedged. “We can be friends.”

Veronica visibly deflated at the last part. It was all Logan could manage to not kiss her silly when her lips drew into a thin line, her face contorting into a frown. She took him by surprise when she stepped closer, bridging the gap between him, taking his hands into hers gently. “What if I want more? What if I don’t want to accept those stupid platonic terms you insisted on the other night?”

Logan sighed. “They’re not stupid, V. I can’t... I can’t deal with another nasty breakup. I have friends now. I have a purpose. I don’t want my life’s goals to revolve around you any more.”

“What if I’m ready to really try, no holds barred? Logan, what if I’m ready?” Veronica insisted.

“I’m not, yet.” He stepped back, fidgeting subtly with his pants by putting his hands in his pocket. “I need to see proof you aren’t going to treat me like a dirty secret this time.” Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Wallace returning to them, a hot dog-on-a-stick in his left hand.

Veronica must have spotted him too; before he could say anything, she’d closed the remaining inches between them, pressing her lips firmly but lightly to his, clutching the fabric of his shirt. He allowed himself to get lost in the always-amazing sensation of his tongue dancing with hers, letting her deepen it after a moment.

Before it could reach the point where he’d abandon his resolve to wait, he pulled away, panting down at her. “It means something that you’d do that in front of Wallace, but I’m still just not ready yet.” He stepped away from her, giving Wallace a quick wave. 

As Logan walked away, his heart dropping to his feet, he winced at Veronica saying something that sounded suspiciously like, “A swing and a miss there.”

Her swing had definitely connected.


	8. Hail Mary

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to CubbiGirl1723 for beta-reading this.

_ December 20, 2008 _

Veronica buried her head in one of her temporary pillows, the frustration boiling over into silent screams. After their excursion to the mall, Veronica had stayed uncharacteristically quiet on the ride home. She kept combing over her conversation with Logan in her head, desperate to figure out where the hell it’d all gone to shit - or, to shit in her mind, anyway.

Every time she and Logan had reconciled in the past, all it’d taken was one kiss by either of them to plunge themselves head-first into passion. The night at the start of her second semester at Hearst was the most prominent example, but even outside the Camelot and after the roof, their kisses took over, rational logic be damned. 

This was the first time that she’d kissed him when they were broken up and it didn’t end with them together. Veronica wasn’t positive how to deal with that. Wallace filled the role of supportive best friend to a tee, soothing her with reminders that Logan loved her, that they were the yin to the other’s yang. It didn’t help. Veronica ached for a future where she didn’t constantly feel like this.

By the time dinner rolled around, she’d decided that the only option was a drastic measure, to push her chips all-in.

“You could, and I can’t believe I’m going to say this, throw yourself at him,” Wallace said to her from around a mouthful of food.

They were sitting at Nathan’s kitchen, each picking aimlessly at their Chicago-style dogs. For Veronica, it was her first time trying a hot dog with so many toppings. The weird combination went together surprisingly well, a delicious mixture of hot and sweet. After finishing another bite, Veronica paused to respond. “I considered that. It might work for the moment, but he seems serious about doing things differently this time, so it could backfire long-term. I’m still considering it. It worked once.”

“What do you want, V?” Wallace asked her with knowing eyes, the type only someone versed in her brand of avoidance could master.

“I want Logan,” she admitted. “I want the whole enchilada with him. Even when I was with Piz, I didn’t fully let go of Logan. It’s why it hurt so badly when I needed to leave Neptune. I’ve always believed he and I were meant to be. I think he’s it for me, Wallace.” It surprisingly didn’t hurt her to think of those last few months at Hearst, except for the pain she’d inflicted on the men in her life. She could admit what her heart had known all along. Maybe she’d changed enough, for now.

“Yeah. I know that, Supafly. It’s pretty obvious to everyone around you,” Wallace said with a chuckle, wiping some stray tomato juice with his napkin from his face. “Piz knew it. Parker knows it. Even Dick has accepted it now, I think.”

Veronica still thought it was crazy that her best friend had found something in common with the same asshat who called her a skank and wrote lewd messages about her in the men’s bathroom stalls. “If Dick says it, it must be true,” she snarked.

Wallace glowered at her lightly. “Some day, maybe you can expand upon exactly  _ why  _ you hate him more than the rest of the 09ers who tormented you.”

She didn’t think that was likely. “Maybe. Regardless, I want to give things with Logan the ol’ college try again. I know he wants that too, but he doesn’t want a girlfriend who feels weird bringing him to her father’s place for dinner, who doesn’t track him with her phone.” Thinking about their early-freshman year relationship always brought her to the verge of tears. They’d both made  _ plenty _ of mistakes. Logan shouldn’t have bailed on hanging out with her to play poker, and he should have stayed to help after the fire in Mexico... but she should have trusted in his ability to be a good man. She wouldn’t have fallen in love with him had she not believed he was a decent, caring person worthy of that affection.

“Do you think you can do that?” Wallace asked. “Look, V... I know in the past I’ve pretty much begged you not to drag me into your drama with Echolls, but now I care about both of you crazy kids. I want it to work.”

Tears glistened in Veronica’s eyes. “Thanks, BFF. It means a lot. I sometimes did wish we could talk about boy troubles more. God knows I’ve had enough of it between Duncan and Logan.” She bit her lip. “To say nothing of Troy, Leo, or Piz.” She wiped away the oncoming tears, pushing the last few bites of her hot dog aside until she could get her stupid emotions under control.

“What did happen with Leo?” Wallace asked. “I don’t think you’ve ever told me about that one. One day, you were dating him, then you just weren’t.”

Veronica hesitated, fearing a look of contempt. “I kissed Logan. After the bomb scare - you remember the one, when Clemmons got mad at me for writing an article? - that crazy ATF agent Ben kinda kidnapped me, and I was on the phone with Logan. He followed me to the Camelot and punched that guy out.” She flushed at the memory, her stomach suddenly full of butterflies. “I kissed him to say ‘thank you’. Then when we kissed a second time a few days later, I had to break it off with Leo. I don’t want to ever be a cheater.” She hadn’t admitted out loud to anyone her fear that she was just like her mother because of the timing of her first kiss with Logan. Leo was the only other person who even knew she’d kissed Logan while still technically dating him.

“Huh.” When he didn’t elaborate, Veronica echoed his words, prompting a follow up. “I just never realized you hooked up with Logan that early. Hey! Were you already with him when he used that late pass?” Wallace asked, snapping his fingers in classic ‘Gotcha!’ fashion.

Veronica smiled and nodded, then blushed at the fresh memories assaulting her: Logan lightly pinning her against the countertop, her legs wrapped around him, the quick succession of kisses against the door as she explained physics to him. That was a memory she’d savored after it all went to shit over the next few weeks, a reminder that her Logan was sweet and attentive, an unconscionably good kisser. They’d repeated that scene once during his summer school semester, but nothing compared to that first, untainted memory. She had felt bad lying to Wallace when he’d asked about the pass back then. “Yeah. I didn’t need him for a case. We wer-”

“Stop,” Wallace cut her off. “I may be all aboard the Team Logan train, but there’s such thing as TMI. You’re still like my sister, man.”

Veronica laughed. “Sure thing. We got together then initially, but we were  _ very _ on and off until after Aaron was arrested. I didn’t think you needed to know until I figured out what the actual hell was happening between the two of us.” Her emotions finally settled, Veronica picked up the final bite of her messy hot dog, sad it was finished. She’d have to remember to add the Chicago Dog topping slate to all future hot dogs. 

“We got off topic, Wallace. I wanted help with my  _ current  _ Logan problem. I can give you the years-long rundown of our many attempts at dating later. What do I do  _ right now _ ?”

“It’s Christmas. Are you getting him a gift?” Wallace asked.

“I haven’t yet. He was on my list before last night, though. Do... do you think he got me something?” Veronica asked nervously. The very last thing she wanted was to be the only one in their fucked up dynamic to spring for a gift. Logan would never let her hear the end of it. What would she even get him? He wasn’t a superficial, belongings-based person. She knew what he really wanted. Did she have anything that said ‘I love you and I want you to be able to trust I’m all in’?

Holiday gift shops didn’t advertise on that specific intention. 

“Yeah, I think you should. I got him a picture frame of his first game, of him, Dick, Mac, Parker...” he trailed off, hesitating. “Your dad and I.”

What? “My dad went to Logan’s first game?” What the fuck? Why hadn’t he ever mentioned that? “Why did Dad go to Logan’s game? I don’t understand.”

“I asked him, but I dunno why he said yes, V. He has treated Logan with respect recently. Maybe the fact that he’s not sleeping with his daughter helps.” Wallace chuckled. “Maybe it’s more that we’re all now seeing what you always saw. That Logan’s a good dude buried below a shattered child.”

Fuck, that was too much for Veronica to think about right then. Wallace needed to stop being so damned great and introspective. “I’ll have to talk to him about that whole keeping major secrets from his daughter thing. Getting back on track  _ again _ , I don’t have some sentimental, gushy memento to gift him. We hadn’t even  _ seen _ each other for more than a year until this week,” she lamented

“What do you love most about him?” Wallace asked, standing up. He pushed his chair away and grabbed the garbage, clearing off the table. He kept eye contact with her as he walked over to the kitchen trash can, dumping the takeout containers. “Walk me through it.”

“To put it simply, he gets me. He always fits me like two pieces of a puzzle. Or like peanut butter and jelly. It’s hard to understand, much less explain. I never told you about this, but the night of the Alterna-Prom, Logan spilled his guts to me,” Veronica admitted. She’d never told  _ anyone _ about that night. “I ran away because, fuck, that level of emotional intimacy terrified the shit out of me. I’d kept Logan Echolls-related memories safely squirreled away in a box with bright red ‘Do Not Touch’ letters etched atop it. Then all of a sudden he was sitting next to me, drunkenly confessing he still had strong feelings for me. After that mess with Duncan... I was scared, damn it. I got the hell out of there, but... his speech? Wallace, it was so freaking wonderful.”

Wallace looked at her with those knowing eyes. He’d had a front row seat to some of their more explosive moments, to some of Logan’s greatest heartfelt apologies. “I bet. Go on, V.”

“He told me we were epic. He said he didn’t want us to end the school year and never see each other. That our romance spanned years and continents, lives ruined, blood shed. Epic. I remember I told him I didn’t think a relationship should be so hard and he just responded that you don’t write love songs about the ones that come easy.” Logan’s expressive eyes, practically baring into her soul, kept her up at night too often. “I think that’s what got me, because while a nice and easy relationship is safer, the truly passionate ones have bumps. They just need to be manageable. I care more about every little thing Logan does than anyone I’ve ever been with. He’s been with me through it all. Children of alcoholics, spurned by Lilly’s murder, targeted by Aaron Echolls, left in the wreckage of Duncan and Beaver, hurt by Mercer’s betrayal. Fuck, I can’t believe we’re actually talking about all of this, Wallace.” 

“Let’s take it to your room, V,” Wallace offered. She only then noticed he’d been standing by the garbage still, empty-handed. She nodded. “And don’t apologize, Veronica. What are best friends for? You could stand to talk to  _ someone _ about all the terrible shit in your past. We both know you won’t do the professional type of help.”

“No,” she laughed, heading down the hall toward her temporary bedroom. “I’m definitely not up for that. Stanford’s been good to me, but I’m still the same gal who does almost everything by herself. This is helping right now. Once again, we’ve gotten off topic, though, Wallace.”

“Right. So this speech is a reason you love him?”

“No, not exactly,” Veronica said, sighing. It was so difficult to articulate. “It’s this feeling that we make each other better. We drive each other to improve. We know each other so well, and everything between us is so perfect. Uhm, the sex is great.” She coughed. “But it’s more than all of that. I can’t picture a long-term life without him. I mean, I can’t picture that without you or Dad or Mac, either, but I keep envisioning myself living with him some day. Spending our lives doing the little things.” That was a big deal to Veronica. Once upon a time, she’d imagined those things with Duncan, but ever since he had dropped her like a fly on his boot, her protective walls prevented her from envisioning rainbows and puppies with  _ any _ guy - except Logan. “He’s kind and protective and passionate and smart and caring, and just the perfect complement to Veronica Mars, badass private investigator. I’ve known that, even when I went back to Duncan senior year. I think that, deep down, Duncan knew it too.” She flopped down onto the sheets, staring up at the ceiling. The comforter shifted as Wallace sat next to her, putting a hand on her shoulder.

“Man, that’s intense, V.” Wallace paused, saying nothing more, content to let their shared silence speak volumes. “I figure we could find a gift that says, well, not all that, but... Damn, now I’m not so sure. That was a lot more powerful than I figured it’d be. Huh. How about something sentimental to you or your family? I know you said you didn’t have anything personal, but what about something personal to  _ your _ family?” Wallace suggested. “Or how about something to do with surfing? Hockey seems obvious, but you didn’t know he was a hockey player until recently. It’s not like that would mean much coming from you, yet.

“I thought about surfing. He also liked inspirational quotes,” Veronica pointed out the obvious, earning a snicker. “What I mean, smartass, is that he likes to read. I could find a book at the mall.”

“That’s actually... not so bad an idea, Veronica. It would show you’ve been thinking about him. You sure you wanna go back there after how shitty it went this afternoon?”

“No,” she laughed. “I’m not. I don’t think Logan’ll be back at the mall so soon after earlier, though. He got his gift for Trina. He’d have no reason to go back.”

“Let’s go tomorrow, then, OK? Right now, you need to relax and get some sleep.”

“Yeah. Sleep would be nice.” Veronica knew, though, that her thoughts would be consumed with proud and arrogant smirks and memories of that Echolls charm that caused her to fall so hard.

Sleep wouldn’t come so easily.

...

Two hours later, Veronica still hadn’t fallen asleep. She stared at the ceiling in dismay, regrets swirling inside her mind. Logan never strayed too far from the forefront in the year and change since that last major fight.

She glanced at the clock on the guest room side table. 12:15. Midnight had come and gone and she was no closer to falling asleep than after her conversation with Wallace.

Suddenly, Veronica had an idea. It was probably a bad idea. Scratch that, it was  _ definitely _ a terrible one. Once it sprouted wings inside her mind, though, she couldn’t fully let it slide.

She rolled out of bed and threw on her nicest light-colored outfit, complete with a blue denim jacket and plain grey jeans. They hugged her ass tightly, which would help her cause when she got to her destination. She did her hair quickly, letting it flow freely in curls. Checking to make sure the door was closed, she quickly called her dad’s few Chicago contacts - not caring about the late hour - and got the information she needed - hotel, room number, the whole enchilada. Then, she dialed the now-familiar number for a taxi service and went about the task of leaving Nathan’s place without alerting either of her hosts. That first night, Wallace and Nathan had given her the ability to open the front door with a code and disarm their house alarm, so she wasn’t worried about any issues there. 

The quick taxi ride did nothing to calm her nerves; by the time she got to the hotel, Veronica had begun to regret it all. She walked through the see-through revolving door and went straight to the concierge. “Hi. My boyfriend called ahead. He said you’d tell me what room he was in and help me get up there.”

“Yes. Veronica, right?” It amazed Veronica how gullible the staff were at these places. One quick phone call and she had access at her fingertips. “Can I see some identification?” the kind-looking woman asked. Veronica smiled warmly and fished out her driver’s license.

“Here you are,” she said, giving Veronica a key. 

Shit. She had a room key for Logan’s room. Should she just knock? Barge in? For the first time, Veronica considered that he might not even be home. Or, worse, that he had a woman in his bed. She didn’t know what she would do if that turned out to be the case. Maybe Nathan could help her get away with strangling the woman? 

_ No! _ she shouted inside her mind. She needed to give Logan the benefit of the doubt. He wouldn’t do that to her. He wanted to eventually make their relationship work. 

The entire elevator ride to Logan’s floor, her mind went into overdrive. By the time she’d reached the correct floor, she had steeled her nerves, ready for whatever awaited her. She knocked on the door, confident. Internally, she was fucking terrified. What if he turned her down? She’d done this once before, to positive results. They were in both a better and worse place than they’d been that night. 

When Logan opened the door, his jaw dropped. Then he stepped back, and Veronica mirrored him, reeling back, feeling rejected. She turned to go, but stopped at Logan’s words. “Don’t go.”

“I’m sorry. I know... I know you want to wait until you can trust me more, but I miss you so fucking much, Lo.” The dismissal at the mall on top of the one at the arena worried her. A week ago, she’d been content in northern California, toiling away at Stanford. Now, she wondered how she ever could’ve imagined letting Logan go entirely.

“Oh, I get it, V,” he said, dryly laughing. He stepped aside to let her in. “I don’t want to have our reunion sex this way, but you can come in. We can talk, and you can stay the night - clothed, of course.”

That was... better than she’d feared this would go. Talking. She could manage that, right? 

This had been a disastrous plan-in-the-making, but Logan hadn’t kicked her out on her ass. They weren’t sleeping together again, but this was a step up from the icy reception she’d been expecting after their last two meetings.

Satisfied, she finally glanced around the room. Like the mahogany door, most of the appliances in the suite-sized room were a deep reddish brown color. She noted he had a refrigerator, full kitchen, and one bed with white, fluffy bedsheets. “Nice room.” There was only one bed, but they had plenty of experience sharing smaller spaces than that. 

Logan beckoned her toward him and she happily fell into his expectant arms. “Why did you come here, V?” he asked her.

“I spent most of the evening telling Wallace some of the details of our past. We talked about your ‘epic’ speech.” She paused. “You do remember that, right? I know you didn’t the morning after.”

“It came to me about half an hour after you left, like a memory flash.” Logan looked away from her, probably ashamed of what’d made her leave in the first place.

“Good. I would really hate it if I was the only one of us with that memory. And, I forgive you for that night, Logan.”

He looked flummoxed at her words. “Thanks.” He cleared his throat. “So, you told Wallace?” Logan prompted, starting to play with the stray strands of her hair. 

“Yeah.” She got up and went to take her shirt off, for the first time realizing a folly of her plan - she had thought she’d either get kicked out or be naked in a minute flat. She didn’t have pajamas. She glanced at him sheepishly until he got it.

“It’s nothing I haven’t seen before, but there are some old nightshirts of yours around here somewhere,” Logan offered. “You left one with me and I’ve never quite been able to throw it away. I think it’s in the top drawer.”

Veronica found it quickly, recognizing it as one of the plain white undershirts she used to regularly wear around Logan’s Neptune Grand room. “Thanks.” Then, she came back to the bed, letting the warmth wash over her as Logan hugged her tight to his chest. This. This was the feeling she’d missed the most.

Nestled in his arms, she texted Wallace so he wouldn’t worry.

**To Wallace: I threw a Hail Mary: successful. I’ll see you tomorrow (in case that’s confusing, I’m with Logan)**

She smiled as Logan’s breathing grew heavier, evening out into a light slumber. Veronica closed her own eyes, excited for the morning in a way she hadn’t been in more than a year. 


	9. Rounding Third

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Huge thank you to CubbieGirl1723 for beta-reading.

_ December 21, 2008 _

When the morning light filtered in through the beige blinds, Logan blinked twice, trying fruitlessly to shake it off. It only took a moment for a soft groan from the comfy pillow in his arms to reach his ears. He shifted, suddenly remembering that Veronica had fallen into his arms last night - literally!

She’d shown up at his doorstep and he knew instantly once he opened the door and didn’t make her leave that he didn’t have any resistance left. He was going to give her a chance this morning to talk to him. If he felt satisfied with her answers, they’d give it a real go. 

“Morning, sleepyhead,” Logan said once she’d opened her eyelids to stare up at him. He got lost in her eyes like always, mesmerized by just how fucking gorgeous she was. And he believed in his heart that she loved  _ him _ \- a fuck-up accused of murder more times than Weevil.

“Morning, Lo,” she said, shaking her head to dismiss the sleepiness. She reached up to kiss him and he turned so her lips brushed his cheek. She held them there for a moment, then gently grabbed his chin. “Do you want to talk about us, now? Please?”

“Yeah,” Logan said. God, this was it. “If we decide to do this - and, Veronica, that’s still a big fucking ‘if’ right now - then I want to do it right. I want to go on dates. Movies. Dinners. Let’s pick a TV show and watch it together. I want to do  _ normal _ couple things. We can’t just drown our problems in sex and fighting. It’s really not healthy - for  _ either _ of us.”

She shifted, rolling her bare thigh over his under the sheets. “OK. I can do that. I don’t want to wait too long for the good stuff, though. But... you’re right. And, Logan, I  _ do _ want us to work this time. It’s going to be different. We’re different. I’m not the same cynical girl I was a year and a half ago.” At his raised eyebrow, she amended, “Well, I’m still not your average, naïve girl, but I’m not as opposed to trusting people. Remember my ‘formative years’ speech? I trust you. I do,” she insisted at his skeptical look. “I’ll prove it, ‘k?”

Logan thought that maybe she really had changed. He vividly remembered that speech, and the intense makeout session that’d followed in the stacks. The old Veronica had never  _ really _ trusted him with her heart. But she had come to rely on him, to an extent. “OK. We can try. You know, I’m surprised you’ve been as pushy as you have been. How do you know I’m not going to fall into old habits?”

“Logan, you’re holding down a full-time job. You haven’t gotten smashed. I don’t even see any empty alcohol bottles around the room,” - she gestured around as she spoke - , “and you want to make us work. That’s enough for me.”

“I hate to bring this up, but I have to know. You never really answered last time I asked. You got past Madison?” Logan asked.

She nodded. “Yes. I’m sorry I was so mad. Logan, I  _ know _ that you wouldn’t hurt me like that. If I’d taken the time to calm down, we could have worked past it. You didn’t cheat on me. We weren’t together. I was just so hurt that you’d broken up with me and then slept with my worst enemy. I’ve had the time and space to move past it.  _ We’re _ past it.”

Logan let out a deep breath he hadn’t known he was holding. It was such a fucking relief. “Good.”

“I’m glad we got that one out of the way,” Veronica laughed. She kept chuckling against his skin, littering his neck with quick kisses. “We started off with some softballs, didn’t we, Echolls?”

In the past, when they’d been on a last name basis, it’d been to antagonize each other. This felt like teasing. “We sure did, Mars. I have another question.” He smiled at the pause in her eyes. “What’ll happen with your dad? I’m not sure if you know this, but I’ve seen Keith a few times since you left. He acts proud of me. I don’t want him to hate me. I don’t want to feel like this...  _ thing _ ,” he spat, “that you’re hiding away. I want to be with you fully or not at all.”

“Fully,” Veronica said firmly. “My dad will still like you. I know it.”

“Can we go on dates, then?” Logan asked. “Soon? Before you go back.”

“I need to spend some quality time with Wallace as well as you,” she said. “Speaking of which, I should check my phone. I left it on the nightstand; can you grab it?”

Logan reached over, untangling his hand from the bedspread. “You have two missed calls from him.” He handed her cell to her.

“Shit. There are a couple texts, too. I thought adding in that I was with you would keep the concerns at bay. Let me call him real quick.”

Logan just nodded. He should have figured Wallace would be freaking out about where she was. “Sure.”

He listened to her end of the conversation, watching as she glanced back his way when answering some of Wallace’s questions. It seemed like they’d had plans that Veronica was skipping out on. When she got off the phone, he knew that her frown meant she’d be leaving soon. 

Which really fucking sucked. He’d wanted to iron out more details of their new relationship. Maybe he could go with her and Wallace wherever they were headed? If she really wanted to include him in her life, among her friends, then that wouldn’t be an issue, right?

“Hey,” Veronica said, sitting down on the edge of the bed. He sat up, keeping the blanket wrapped around his naked chest. “I have to go meet Wallace.”

“I figured. When?” he asked.

“I want to talk some more, then I’ll call a cab and hop in the shower quick. I guess I’ll call in like an hour?” Veronica said more than asked, looking at the clock.

That gave them some time to talk more. “Can I come?”

“Huh?”

“With you and Wallace,” he clarified. “On whatever fun thing you’ve got planned.”

“I wish,” Veronica said, though he saw brief panic in her eyes. “Wallace and I had agreed to do something just us. Rain check?” she offered hesitantly.

“OK,” he said half-heartedly. “How about we grab dinner?”

“I can do that. I’ll ask Wallace if he’s up to it. By the way, later on you owe me the story of how you, Mac, Dick, Parker and my dad all became buddy-buddy. I want details, mister.”

“Sure thing, Veronica.” He laid back against the headboard, propping up a pillow to lean against. “For now, c’mere.” She laid herself back in his arms. “How are we going to do this? We’re  _ us _ . We’ll argue and fight. I need to know it’s going to be different this time. How can we make sure we don’t fuck it up?”

“We could find someone to talk through our issues with us when they happen. A... middle person? Mediator? Not an official therapist or anything like that, but a friend who cares about us.” Veronica paused, deep in thought. “Let’s go through some possibilities, Logan. We probably need someone we can each individually go to with  _ all _ of our problems, too.”

“How about Mac, for you?” Logan asked.

“I was thinking maybe Wallace. Dick for you?”

“Yeah, Dick works. Why not Mac for you?”

“I think she’s the best pick for someone to talk to both of us. I don’t want to involve my dad,” she added, scrunching her eyebrows together. “Even if we’re adults now, it’d be weird to talk about sex and relationship drama with Dad.”

“Wallace could be our middle man and you could go to Mac,” he suggested. Really, there weren’t many options. Between the two of them, they had Keith, Dick, Wallace, Mac, Parker... and maybe Piz? Oh! “What about Weevil for your confidante that isn’t linked to me?”

“You mean you haven’t converted good ol’ Weevs to the dark side, Echolls? You’re slacking,” she teased. Then she seemed to consider it fully. “He could work. You and he will never see eye to eye. I’d need to explain our relationship a bit more than I ever have. Is that OK with you?”

“Whatever is needed, Bobcat. If you go to Weevil, then we could go to  _ both _ Wallace and Mac to talk through issues we wanna work on together, right? That could work. Plus, when was the last time you talked to Weevil?” Logan asked. Wallace had once, months ago, complained that the former PCH leader wouldn’t stop bugging him about Veronica’s wellbeing. 

“I haven’t spoken to him since leaving Neptune, except for one call to let him know I was going to Stanford,” Veronica admitted. “Do you think it would be awkward?”

“Nah,” Logan said. He moved a strand of hair out of her face. “He’ll always be there for you. You two are tied through Lilly like we are.”

“OK. So, we have a plan, Logan. I  _ promise _ this is going to be very different. We’re going to get through this one together, and when we come back out the other side it’s going to be absolutely amazing. We’re rounding third base here. A few more productive talks and it’ll be a damned grand slam.

“Agreed,” Logan said with a laugh, and he really fucking hoped he wasn’t lying. He didn’t think his heart could take another breakup with Veronica.

...

Weevil hadn’t heard from Veronica Mars in almost eighteen months, ever since the day he’d picked up, expecting her to need a favor after the scene with Richie Rich and the mob. 

When his phone rang and he saw her name on the caller ID - he’d never been able to bring himself to delete her contact - he sighed. “What favor do you need this time, V?”

“Can’t I just ring my favorite reformed criminal to chat?” her voice sounded through the phone, accompanied by the laugh he’d come to singularly associate with her. 

“Echolls is a criminal.”

“He’s never been convicted of the crimes you’re implying. He didn’t kill Felix or Lilly,” she said, her voice turning serious. Damn, she was still in love with that idiot? Fuck.

“Touche. So, what did you need, V?”

He could hear her sigh through the phone. “I do need a favor, but first, I wanted to hear from you. What’s up in the world of Eli Navarro? How’s the family?”

“They’re good, V. The kids are growing up fast. I’ve been seeing this chica named Jade lately. She’s nice,” he told her, quickly falling back into the old habit. He’d never in a million years tell her, but Veronica Mars  _ had _ been one of his best friends, one of the only ones he always knew he could count on, no matter what. If he came calling, she would answer. It was why it stung so much when she’d axed him from her social circle. Not even one call, for eighteen fuckin’ months.

“I’m happy for you. I asked my dad a few times to keep an eye on you, you know. I’m sorry I haven’t been in touch. After I moved, I didn’t know what to say, and then time had passed and I didn’t know how to reach out. I suck at this shit, Weevil.”

He smiled at her words. Veronica Mars was nothing if not antisocial. It was the biggest reason her unwavering loyalty for the Echolls punk pissed him off. A douchebag like that didn’t deserve Veronica constantly going out of her way to defend him, to make their dysfunctional relationship work. The guy had never even bothered half-heartedly denying the accusations that he hurt Lilly. Weevil knew some of his anger at Logan was unwarranted, but then he’d go and destroy Veronica’s heart and they’d be thrown right back to where they began. “I get that, V. We have a pattern, you and I. I guess it’s time for a ‘friends again’ phase. So, let’s cut the pleasantries. Why the call?”

She sighed again. “I might be getting together with Logan again.” He cursed under his breath. Of fucking course. “We want to do it right this time, though. When we’re together, it’s sometimes overwhelming. I need someone to have my back, who doesn’t have his, too. Did you know he’s become friends with Mac and Wallace?”

He had heard something like that. He hadn’t really believed it to be true, but he’d heard it. “Yeah. What do you need then?”

“I want to stay in touch. I want to have the friend back that I had before Thumper, before it all went to shit, before you went to jail,” she said. 

He got that. He thumbed the back of his cell, considering. “So I’d get to hear you bitch about Echolls, is what you’re saying? Sign me right the fuck up.” He hesitated. “You really want this, V? Logan Fucking Echolls is the guy you want to spend the rest of your life with?”

“Yeah. He is.” He could hear her smile through the phone. “Maybe it’d help if I told you a bit about his... nicer qualities. You just see the asshole poking through.”

“That’s 100 per cent of the time, chica,” Weevil said with a laugh. “Fine, though. Explain the draw of Richie Rich.”

And so she did. And Weevil listened to an unbelievable tale of childhood friendship, shared trauma, abusive and alcoholic parents, misery at the hands of the Kanes, murder allegations, and all of that before their senior year. They spent hours on the phone, which Weevil found kind of neat. She’d never opened up to him like this. This was the Veronica Mars that Echolls saw, the fiercely possessive and passionate friend who’d weathered hell and stormed back with a vengeance. He admired her. 

He also came to begrudgingly admire Logan for all the shit his parents and Lilly had thrown at him.

Finally, he now  _ knew _ it hadn’t been Logan who left those marks.

When they hung up, he agreed to be her confidante when she needed one, but somehow had a feeling he’d end up with a friendship with a fucking 09er out of it.


	10. Body Check

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to CubbieGirl1723 for beta-reading.

_ December 22, 2008 _

When she woke up the next morning, Veronica felt disoriented and tried to reach out for muscled arms to wrap around herself. She was greeted by nothing but the thin bedspread and ached at the loss. She’d long considered what it would be like to wake up next to Logan Echolls every morning, but yesterday was the first time since pre-Madison that she’d actually experienced it. Her regret at wasting so much time -  _ again _ , she reminded herself - hit her hard.

After her conversation with Weevil had ended, and she’d apologized profusely to Logan for needing to reschedule dinner with Wallace, Veronica had decided to make a half-hearted attempt at sleep, to no avail. She’d never really bridged that final gap and let Weevil in as a friend the way she had Wallace, but talking about all of her Logan-related drama really helped. Logan had been right, once again.

Since there was no point staying wrapped up under her comforter at this hour - the clock read 9:17 - she rolled out of bed and got ready for the day. Logan’s next game was that afternoon at 1:00, so she had several hours to put on her best outfit, shower, eat some brunch with Wallace, and get their asses into primo seats at the arena so she could see her, well, whatever Logan was to her these days. Maybe boyfriend. 

Wallace slaving over some pancakes on the stove wasn’t the scene she expected to walk into, but his too-long white Neptune High pajama shirt made her giggle. 

“Good morning, Supafly,” he tossed over his shoulder. 

He didn’t stop to say anything else, so she busied herself collecting a plate, napkin, fork and knife for each of them, setting the table. “Where’s your syrup, buddy? Also, should I set a place for your dad?”

“I think it’s the cabinet next to the garbage can?” he wondered. “And no. He left already this morning for work.”

So far on her visit, the dynamic between Wallace and his dad didn’t make sense to her. They’d spent sparse amounts of time together, yet the entire purpose of Wallace’s trip to Chicago was to see him. She knew that if she were in Neptune, Keith would have to wash the super glue off her hands to keep them apart.

“OK. So just the two of us, right? Piz is gone?” She hadn’t actually mentioned her ex-boyfriend since the morning of the awkward breakfast, and then she’d spent a night at Logan’s, a day shopping for him with Wallace, and an evening on the phone with Weevil. Piz could conceivably have still been lurking around, she figured.

“Yeah, he left. He might come back for another visit at some point. It’s just us until we go to Logan’s game,” Wallace confirmed.

With breakfast ready, Wallace scooped a stack off the plate for each of them, plopping a slice of butter onto each of their plates. “How was your talk with my old flagpole pal?” he asked, shoving a mouthful of food in to avoid having to answer immediately.

“It went fine. Logan was right. It helped to have someone to talk to that isn’t my dad or close with Logan himself. I think it’s a good idea to expand my friend circle a little and let ol’ Weevs in,” Veronica admitted. “I kind of missed that favor exchange he and I had. You know, at one point I considered keeping a running tally, but it got out of hand way too quickly.” She stabbed at her pancake, pausing when she remembered she still needed to pour some syrup on it.

“You need a list of favors with a lot of people, V. Me, Logan, Weevil, Mac, your deputy ex, Vinnie, and probably some others I’m forgetting,” Wallace teased her.

She let his words hang in the air as they both dug into her food. A lot of her friendships had either started as favor exchanges or become more real because of them. Wallace was the biggest example, but she’d met Mac during that purity test debacle with Meg - another person whose friendship truly began with a favor - and her tit-de-tat with Weevil always involved helping one another.

Not to mention, the renewed friendship with Logan began when he came to her doorstep asking for help with finding Lynn.

“I’m lucky most of you stuck around after that first favor, I guess.” 

“We all love you, Supafly.” He chuckled. “I’m glad things went well with Weevil. Still can’t believe you asked Mac and I to get in the middle of the Logan and Veronica warship. I hope I don’t regret agreeing to that.”

She laughed. “You won’t. We’re determined to make this shit work this time.”

That was the final word on the topic, so they finished their food in silence, then began to get ready for the game. Shortly after noon, they’d ordered a cab and waited. 

Veronica couldn’t believe how damned nervous she was. She’d only seen Logan yesterday morning, but the butterflies flitting through her stomach were proof enough that she ached for him to hold her again. She already missed watching his eyes rain down love and appreciation on her. 

Fuck, she was such a goner.

...

Walking out of the locker room for the second period, Logan felt light on his feet, happy and satisfied. He didn’t have a point yet, but their goalie was on his ‘A’ game so far, stopping all eight first-period shots.

The referee dropped the puck, and they were off and running. The Wolves won the first faceoff and gained control of the puck, then Logan’s linemate Steve swept the puck across the ice to Logan. He steadied it with the edge of his stick, alternating between a back- and fore-hand to move it up ice. 

Logan remembered being confused by the offsides rule when he first got into hockey, not fully grasping that only the back of the skate needed to still be out of the zone when the puck entered to remain on side. Now that he had renewed his interest in hockey, the rulebook constantly played on a loop in his mind during games. He wound up and fired the puck up the boards, watching in satisfaction as it swung around the back of the net, sliding along the edge until it reached one of his teammates streaking up the ice.

He skidded to a stop, spinning to move near the blue line. Coach Dave had already anointed him the forward on the team with the best slapshot, so he frequently lingered at the top of the point, surveying the zone, waiting for an opportunity. It felt great to be wanted like that by his team.

Despite only two games and some practice time, he just  _ meshed _ with his linemates, Steve and Alexei. They both had a sixth sense on the ice, with the wherewithal to always find Logan for the open lane. This time was no different. Alexei, his left wing, fired a pass up the ice and Logan swung his stick back in preparation for a one-timer. As he brought it down, sweeping it towards the ice like a pendulum, he caught a quick look at Veronica out of the corner of his eye. The momentary lapse in concentration caused his shot to go slightly astray, sailing over the net and into the glass protective glass, bouncing back into the field of play.

Logan cursed under his breath, glancing at Veronica again as the opposing team corralled the puck. He caught her fleeting smirk and realized she knew that she’d been at fault there. She gave him a little two-fingered wave, a twinkle in her eye, and Logan nearly melted right on the ice, the freezing temperature be damned.

The action on the ice drew his attention back when he saw the new opposing center - apparently the other team had managed a line change while he was distracted - coming at him. He glided backward, shuffling his feet to constantly stay between his goalie and the prospective shooter. When the dude tried to sidestep him and skirt the puck through everyone’s legs, Logan barrelled his body into him, knocking him to the ice. 

It worked, stopping the shot immediately, but Logan nearly missed the cheapshot from behind. In fact, he would have if not for Veronica’s rushed shout of warning permeating his ears just in time. He ducked and jabbed out an elbow in retaliation. By the time he turned around, the asswipe - Jack, if he remembered correctly from the time he’d played these jackwagons with his old team, the Reign - was punching him again. 

He moved out of the way, dropping his gloves in the same motion. If the idiot wanted to brawl, he was game. Just because he didn’t fight on the streets any more didn’t mean he suddenly disliked a good fist match. He swung his arm up, pulling it to the side at the last moment. The idiot never knew what hit him when Logan’s right fist found itself embedded in his ribs. Logan quickly followed up with another feint, then let his fists fly a few times, striking Jack once in the cheek. He kept up his defenses well enough to avoid any direct hits, parrying the punches to the side with his forearm guards. 

When the action was finished, Logan smirked in satisfaction while the referees ushered both of them to the box with offsetting two minute roughing penalties. During the two minute breather, as Logan liked to consider it, he watched Veronica, who never took her eyes off him. There was clear concern hidden behind raging lust, and Logan wanted nothing more than to say ‘fuck it’ to the game and bury himself in her right on that bench, preferably after Wallace skedaddled. He lost himself in the fantasy, kissing her sensitive skin as she moaned in pleasure, fucking her hard against the cold metal surface. Maybe he’d spin them around and let her ride him the way she so passionately could. 

When the two minute break was over, he adjusted his pants to hide the effect of the daydream and made his way back onto the ice, wondering exactly how long he could hold out with someone he wanted as much as he did Veronica. He didn’t think it would be too long.

...

Ever since that roughing penalty, Veronica noticed Logan’s eyes sliding over to hers more frequently than was probably advisable while he was skating on the ice. Whenever his shifts were over, he maintained eye contact with her for the full two-to-five minutes he was on the bench, licking his lips like he’d done in the temporary time out box, as Wallace had dubbed it.

She had an inkling as to what he was thinking, since she’d spent much of the match imagining the many new ways this incredibly sexy hockey player version of the boy she loved could make her go crazy. Could they use some of that equipment to make things more fun? She lost herself in the ridiculously hot thought of Logan fucking her in full uniform, or her wearing parts of his uniform while he rested his head between her thighs. Any permutation of  _ them _ made desire pool between her legs, and she wished this stupid game would end soon.

Although, despite Logan’s countenance saying the opposite, he still insisted they weren’t ready to move back into the sexual frenzy they enjoyed with each other. She got that, and respected it, but damn, he’d made it all the more difficult by eye-fucking her for an entire period now.

She glanced at the clock, noting that the second was almost over. There were just two and a half minutes left before the next intermission. The breaks between action were boring the hell out her and Wallace. They were there to watch Logan and support him, not to be the only people in the arena who didn’t want to spend a quarter of an hour waiting on a bathroom line.

“Hey, that’s a penalty!” Wallace’s yell brought her attention back to the ice, where the sight made her blood freeze. Logan was crumpled against the side board next to his own goal, clutching his ribs with one hand and head with the other. His lip was bleeding, blood spilling out onto the ice.

“Wallace, what the fuck happened?” she screeched, already getting out of her seat. God, Logan needed to be OK. He was talking, but clearly was in intense pain.

“Some asshole body checked him from behind straight into the board while he was bent over. It was boarding. Fuck! I can’t believe the ref didn’t call that shit,” Wallace complained.

Veronica, despite her nerves bouncing all over the place, stifled a giggle at how her best friend had gotten so into the game. He’d become a Wolves superfan overnight, apparently dedicated to this whole ‘Support Logan’ campaign even more so than she’d dared imagine. Then the sight of Logan struggling to stand brought her back to reality. “That doesn’t explain the blood, dude!” she called back at him.

“After the hit, before the other guy could react, he got slashed with a stick to the face while he was down.”

She rushed down the stairs, Wallace on her heels, stopping only to point at her love when the security guard got in her way. He must’ve known somehow, because he let them through.

Had Logan given her and Wallace permission to enter team-only areas? Whatever. She’d think about that later. They quickly walked over to where Logan’s teammates were helping him off the ice. They stopped when they spotted Veronica and Wallace, question in their eyes.

“You’re Veronica, right?” one of them asked her. “I’m Steve.”

She nodded without saying anything. 

“Good. He’s got, uh,” he glanced down at the paper he’d procured practically out of thin air, “you, someone I’m guessing is your dad, and a dude named Dick Casablancas as his emergency medical contacts on his paperwork. He’s definitely got bruised bones and possibly a broken rib from the initial hit. His lip’s split, but that should heal over now that we’ve stopped the bleeding. He might have a concussion from the combined impact of the boards and the slash. We’re thinking he needs to get checked out at the hospital, if nothing else for concussion symptoms. He was dazed afterwards. Coach doesn’t think he’ll need to get admitted overnight, but a pro should look at him.”

Veronica considered the reality that he’d already updated his emergency contacts - unless he’d never taken her off the list? That seemed unlikely. They hadn’t spoken for such a long time, and she hadn’t even lived in the same half of California as him.

“We’ll follow. Let me just grab a taxi,” Wallace spoke for the both of them as she struggled to form the correct words.

Veronica watched as her best friend fumbled with his cell phone, calling that same number she was becoming so damned familiar with. She turned to the man - Steve, she recalled - and looked Logan over. She couldn’t see any outward damage done from the hit, but she was really fucking worried. 

She doubted any of his new teammates knew about the damage Aaron Echolls had done to him. They wouldn’t understand the emotional effect going to the hospital for bruised bones could have on him. Veronica decided she needed to be there for him. If she was officially listed on his medical insurance paperwork, she could probably stay with him no matter what. With the procedural details all taken care of, she and Wallace waited on the curb outside the arena for their ride while Logan and his teammates waited for an ambulance. He - the stubborn, lovable moron - had insisted he was fine, but the team didn’t want to take chances with a potential head injury and wanted the comfort and reliability of trained professionals transporting him on a gurney. 

Truthfully, if it were for almost anyone else, Veronica would’ve thought it was overkill, but this was Logan, so she agreed with them and had shot her guy a glare when it looked like he was going to disagree.

The ride to the hospital was one of the more excruciating, anxiety-inducing drives of her life, aside from the trip to the Kane mansion more than five years earlier. When her phone rang, it was a welcome relief from the constant worry about Logan, the insistent need to physically touch every inch of his body to reassure herself he was actually OK. 

It was a relief, that was, until she glanced at the caller ID. “Dick.”

“Mars. I’d ask how life is, but I’ll just cut the shit. We both know I’d be lying.” 

At least Dick hadn’t changed. He wasn’t going to suddenly sing her praises just because Logan had asked him to be his confidante during this new go at the Logan and Veronica Show. “Who called you?”

“Some dude named Steve. Is Logan OK?” he asked, honest fear creeping into his tone. 

“They think he will be. You’re still in Neptune, right?” she asked. She more or less hated Dick Casablancas for what he’d taken from her, but was willing to give him one chance to show he’d changed into the man Wallace seemed to believe he was. If  _ Wallace _ was friends with him, maybe he really was different. “I don’t think it’s serious enough that you’re needed here, but I can keep you posted if you want,” she offered. Olive branches.

“Thanks, Ronnie. I owe you one.”

“Don’t call me Ronnie, and we’ll call it even, Casablancas,” she negotiated. “See ya, Dick.” After she hung up, she caught Wallace’s eye. “What?”

“That was strangely civil of you, V. We both know you can’t stand him.” He kept her eye, then looked out the window as he spoke again. “He cried with Mac about all the times he’s fucked up, you know? She’ll kill me for telling you, but... It will help you get it. It happened right before you took off after our freshman year.” He paused, pursing his lips. “I hated the guy, too, you know? Mostly on your behalf, but he was just  _ such _ a douche. A womanizer... The exact type of 09er asshole I loved to hate.”

She knew that feeling. Dick Casablancas embodied every single entitled, wrong reason for associating with 09ers, Logan and Duncan included. He flaunted his money, treated women like one-purpose objects, used people, tormented them, ruined their innocence and lives...

“I still think he’s a bit of an ass, but he actually cares about people’s opinion of him now. He’s trying to make amends. He really,  _ truly _ apologized to Mac. He chewed out his dad for how they tortured his brother. He kept Logan... honestly he probably kept Logan from dying.” Wallace paused, assessing her. He must’ve seen what he wanted in her eyes, because he continued, “I didn’t want to tell you this, but it got really fucking bad, V. He was drunk every day, showing up on campus blasted out of his mind. Mac, Dick, and I took turns keeping him out of the spotlight. Parker helped, and even Piz a time or two. Hell, I even roped Weevil into it one time. Dick kept him out of jail. He kept the guy afloat, and he helped him to get started on his hockey career. Dick called up one of his dad’s contacts at the Staples Center to get Logan a tryout.”

Wallace paused to let the info dump he’d just given her actually get absorbed. She knew Dick was Logan’s best friend, and from what Wallace was saying, the guy had really proven himself over the last few years. It also hit Veronica right where it really fucking hurt that Mac and Wallace had been on the damage control team to keep Logan on the straight and narrow. It terrified her that the guy she was so hopelessly in love with had the capacity to fall into the darkness so thoroughly that it took a team of people to rescue him. What if Logan did that again? What if they broke up - even just took a break - and he went on a bender and hurt himself, or someone else, accidentally?

She didn’t think the current Logan Echolls would ever drink and drive, but all she had to do was think about the Coronado Bridge, that fateful night, and she was scared of going down that road again. Then she thought of the man she’d spent so much time with the last few days - relatively speaking, anyway - and knew it was worth it to fight for him, to go to war for their relationship.

When she and Wallace got to the hospital, it was still a few hours until dinner time, so they settled in on the chairs in Logan’s room alongside the silent Logan and his designated watchdog teammate, Steve. Wallace dozed off here and there while they waited for a doctor to come in. Clearly, the hospital staff didn’t find Logan’s injuries too severe. Veronica wanted someone to arrive and give him a clean bill of health as fast as humanly possible, but knew it might not happen that quickly.

It took an hour in total, but finally a kind looking older man with a white beard and glasses walked into the room, introducing himself. “I’m Doctor Hutchins.”

Logan smiled weakly. “I don’t think I need to be here, Doc, but the coach and these three,” he jabbed a thumb at them, “insisted. I’m fine. Had worse.”

“Be that as it may, I want to monitor you for a concussion. If we find anything abnormal, we’ll want to keep you overnight. It’s customary to wake up patients periodically the first night after a potential concussion-inducing incident. I just want to ask you some questions.”

“Sure,” Logan agreed.

“Do you have a headache?”

At Logan’s shake of the head of ‘no’, Doctor Hutchins continued asking questions, firing them off in order, asking each one only after Logan confirmed he didn’t have the symptom.

“Any confusion? Blurry vision? Are you nauseous? Do you remember everything from today clearly?”

That last question had elicited a naughty smirk from Logan, causing Veronica to hide her gaze with a small blush. Their intense game of eye-fucking came flooding back to her, and from his reaction, she knew it hadn’t been in her head.

“What about difficulty concentrating?”

Logan hesisted, before nodding his head.  _ Oh, shit _ .

“Any ringing in the ears?”

“Not now,” Logan said. “Right after the hit, it felt like I got my bell rung and I was hearing things, though.”

“Good. I still don’t think you have a concussion, but maybe it would be beneficial to stay the night for observation. Do you have anyone who could stay with you?”

“I’ll do it,” Veronica quickly spoke up. “There’s no way I’d be leaving his side anyway, whether it’s here or at the team hotel,” she said. She straightened the edges of her shirt, looking the doctor straight in the eye, trying to hide the nerves she had at being responsible for Logan’s care. God, what if something went wrong?

“OK. That works. The rest of you,” he turned towards Wallace and Steve, “can come back when visiting hours begin, tomorrow morning at 8:00.”

Her best friend grumbled good-naturedly about being cast aside for the boyfriend, but promised to text later to check in. His teammate left, telling Veronica quietly that the coach would be by in the morning. Apparently, the team had a concussion protocol in place that would keep Logan out of game action until he was symptom-free for a full 96 hours, so he would have to sit out at least the next two games.

Once they’d all left, Veronica curled up in the chair and gazed at Logan, the overwhelming fear she’d felt at seeing him lying crumpled on the ice returning full-force. “You, uh, sure you’re feeling OK, Echolls?”

“I’m fine, Mars,” he responded, catching onto her use of last names as endearment with a smile. “It was unlucky. The guy just caught me off guard with a cheap shot. I guess it was retaliation for decking their star forward earlier in the game. Didya watch me, Ronnie? I won a fight.”

She smiled at him despite thinking that winning a hockey brawl wasn’t cause for celebration, especially if it led to  _ this _ . “I did, Rocky.” She reached up and grabbed his bruised knuckles, gently rubbing circles over the dried blood. “Think you can avoid getting into another fight before Christmas, Romeo? I don’t want our pics to have bloody knuckles in them.” She chuckled to hide the sudden anxiety at her assumption they’d take pictures. She hoped he didn’t shoot the idea down.

Logan’s knowing look showed her he hadn’t missed the comment, but he let it slide. “Sure thing. But I’m not calling you Juliet, Veronica. That love story didn’t end so well.”

“Lives ruined, blood shed. A well-spoken prophet of the Church of Echolls once told me about that.” She grinned. “Our love story is epic, but yeah, I hope we have a better ending than Romeo and Juliet.”

“We can talk more about it later, Veronica. I just want to enjoy this right now before everyone starts worrying.”

“OK, Logan. Let’s relax.”

Veronica didn’t think she’d be relaxing at all while Logan was still in the hospital, but that was OK, too. Someone needed to watch out for him.


	11. Pinch Hitter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to CubbieGirl1723 for beta-reading, as always.

_ December 22, 2008 _

A few hours later, Logan was taking his first nap of the evening. Veronica still had an hour until she needed to wake him up. She wanted to get him some dinner from the hospital’s cafeteria, so she carefully closed the door behind her and found an orderly to ask for directions.

She’d never really liked hospitals; everything about them reminded her of how mortal people were.

While she was waiting for the hospital kitchen staff to finish making her burgers a few minutes later, she decided to call her dad and Dick to update them. She hadn’t actually spoken to her dad yet, but knew he was on Logan’s emergency contact list, so someone must have either talked to him or left a message.

He picked up on the third ring. “Veronica?”

“Hi, Dad. How’s the weather by you?” she asked. She hoped her cheeky tone carried well over the phone.

“Are you with him?”

“Yeah,” she laughed. “Imagine my surprise when he met up with Wallace my first night here. I’ve seen him a few times now,” she admitted. “He’s doing OK. They don’t think it’s serious. We should be able to leave in the morning.” She took a deep breath. “I was scared, Dad.”

“I know, honey.” He didn’t need to say anything else.

“I just wanted to give you an update.” She hesitated, but plowed on. “Do you know if he always had me on his emergency contact list, or did he remove me at one point and then add me back recently?”

“As far I know, he never removed you. He added me to have an adult on there; he actually called me one day a few months ago to ask my permission. I was surprised at how logical and reasonable he was being.”

“Thanks.” She sighed. “Do you want to keep chatting? Or am I keeping you from your vacation?” Veronica asked. It was a little unsettling to worry about interrupting her dad. It reminded her of how happy he’d been with Alicia years ago.

“You’re not keeping me, but I imagine you want to get back to Logan,” he said.

“I do, and I need to call Dick again before that.” She glanced over at the cook behind the counter when he motioned towards her with two styrofoam plates stuffed with cheeseburgers, fries and macaroni and cheese. “I guess I’ll get going, then. I’ll talk to you soon, OK? I love you, Dad.”

“I love you too, honey. Talk to you soon.”

Click. The sudden silence unnerved Veronica. The man who’d made their dinner had left the kitchen area already, and she was the only person in the cafeteria now. She quickly dialed Dick’s number.

“How is he?” Dick asked without preamble, which was quite fine with Veronica.

“He’s not bad,” she said. “He answered most of the questions without issue. He had two of the concussion symptoms, so the doctor advised we stay overnight.”

“Do you need me to hop on a flight to be there, Ronnie?” he asked, ignoring the request about her nickname.

“So I guess you owe me again,” Veronica said instead. When she didn’t get a smart-ass response, she realized how nervous Dick truly was. “No, I think we’re fine, Dick. Stay in Neptune. I can pinch-hit for you.”

When Dick didn’t disconnect the call, Veronica prodded. “Anything else?”

She could hear Dick’s unease through the phone. “No. Not yet, anyway. Let’s talk next time we see each other, though. That OK? If you’re gonna be with Logan long-term, there are things I should apologize for. I’ve been pretty shitty to you at times.”

Veronica was genuinely surprised. But... “Just because I’m gonna be around now, that doesn’t mean that’s the only reason you need to apologize. You should say sorry because you want to, Dick.” It did mean  _ something _ that he wanted to talk. She wasn’t sure exactly what that was, but it at least corroborated Wallace’s version of this new and improved Dick.

“I do want to apologize, Ron. I just figured that was a convenient excuse to get in the door without you slamming it on me.”

“OK, Dick. I’ll bite. Wallace tells me to give you a chance. You have a fuckton of shitty behaviour to make up for. Next time I’m in Neptune, we can talk.”

“Thanks, Veronica,” Dick said, and she was almost certain it was the first time he’d called her by her given name without resorting to insults since before Lilly’d died.

“I’ll text you any news in the morning, including when he gets discharged.” She eyed the rapidly cooling dinner in her hands hungrily, though Dick couldn’t see that over the phone. “I gotta go, though. I picked up dinner for Logan and I, and it’s not gonna eat itself.”

“Sure, sure. Never keep a wild Veronica Mars from her food. Even I know that. Keep me up to date. See ya, Ronnie.”

When Dick hung up, the silence didn’t feel so uncomfortable, even though no one had come into the cafeteria. She’d never forgive Dick for his shitty actions that led to her being alone with his deranged brother, but she was willing to set it aside for the betterment of Logan if he was actually trying to change. She didn’t think Dick  _ really _ wanted Beaver to do that to her; in the end, it didn’t matter. He’d loaded the gun and given it to his brother with instructions to shoot. Just because he hadn’t actually fired the shot didn’t make him any less an accomplice.

For the sake of Mac, Logan, and Wallace, she’d give him a single opportunity to apologize and make his case. 

She hoped he really was genuine.

...

Logan woke up feeling groggy. His mind replayed the events of the day as he blinked the post-nap haze away. His side hurt a bit, but it was nothing compared to a day with Aaron. Veronica had stayed with him; he could smell her sweet perfume from across the room.

When he fully opened his eyes, he spied her licking ketchup off her fingers. The sight went straight to his dick, the purely erotic nature of it strangely surprising. Veronica made  _ everything _ she did fucking sexy. She looked up, laughing gleefully, when he made a strangled noise and adjusted the hospital sheet. 

“Good evening, handsome,” she said.

Logan smiled at her. “Hey, Veronica.” He flopped back against his pillow, his stomach protesting at his own lack of food. “Any chance you got some of that for me?”

“Of course, snookums.” She passed over a second disposable plate that had been out of his view. 

He grinned at her. “Thanks, Veronica.” The very first bite delighted him, the delicious flavor of a cheeseburger never getting old to Logan. “What did you do while I napped?”

“I had a couple interesting conversations, actually,” she said with a chuckle. “I was starting to get worried, though. You’d been out for almost three hours, Lo.”

He frowned. It hadn’t felt like that long, but he really had been a little spaced out before the nap. Maybe he did have that concussion. Logan didn’t exactly have a frame of reference for what it felt like to be concussed, unless Aaron’d given him an undiagnosed one. “That’s strange. But I feel better now. So, what was so interesting?”

“I talked to my dad. He sounded... shit, Logan, besides being worried, he sounded proud of you. I can’t believe you’re closer to Dad now than when we were dating before.”

Ah. “Well, it’s easier to get along with a guy when you’re not eating out his daughter regularly on his living room sofa. That type of thing tends to leave a sour aftertaste with a father, y’know.”

When she stuck her tongue out at him, he faked throwing a pillow at her in retaliation.

“Dad likes you. I’m glad. It’s like he’s seeing what I’ve always seen,” she admitted. “It’s like they all are.”

“Don’t be too upset, Veronica. I didn’t give them reasons to want to like me.” It was easier to go into a relationship if none of her friends and family members had high expectations of him. He couldn’t disappoint them. “Was it just a talk with your dad?”

“No, I called Dick, too. I wanted to give him an update.”

He didn’t fully understand his girlfriend’s reactions to his best friend. He knew that Dick was, well, a dick. He was also unwaveringly loyal, with a hidden kind streak. Her animosity couldn’t have been because of their sophomore and junior years, since she’d forgiven him and Duncan for that. It was one of those mysteries he wasn’t sure he’d ever understand, unless she told him about it. Since she hadn’t, he assumed it wasn’t something so bad that it would ruin his friendship with Dick. He hoped. “How’d that go?”

“Interestingly. He’s a little different than I remember,” Veronica said evasively. 

“He’s been through a lot, too,” Logan offered hesitantly. He was quickly growing tired again, so he motioned down towards his food before stuffing another bite into his mouth. Veronica understood what he meant, letting the conversation naturally die. 

He was beginning to regret not asking the hospital staff whether Veronica could join him in the bed. It would help him sleep much easier if he could wrap his arms around Veronica and nestle his chin into that favorite spot on her neck he had. 

Veronica moved closer to him, as if reading his thoughts. “I know. It’s probably better that we don’t sleep in the bed together.” Had he been choreographing his thoughts? “If I roll over during the night and hit your ribs hard, it might hurt. You gotta heal, Lo.”

She was right. Damn it. He wanted to get back on the ice, to be healthy enough to enjoy the...  _ extracurricular _ activities he and Veronica seemed on a collision course to engage in sooner than later. Every sign indicated Veronica was more serious than ever about them, and he now believed it. “I know, I know. I want to hold you, though.” He playfully pulled his mouth into an exaggerated frown, laughing excitedly when Veronica lightly pressed her pretty lips to his.

“I’ll sit right here. Gimme one of your pillows, and I’ll be fine.”

He tossed Veronica the largest of his pillows, grinning when she frowned. “I have three still, so I figured I could part with that one. Looks comfy.”

She smiled at him, resting it behind her head. “Night, Logan,” she offered hesitantly.

“Good night, Veronica.”


	12. Catch and Release

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to CubbieGirl1723 for beta-reading. Also, there's a line in this one paraphrased from Buffy (I think S6).

_ December 23, 2008 _

The morning light filtered in through the far side window, blinding Veronica as she covered her eyes. She’d slept more comfortably than she’d dared hope, but her neck still ached. Glancing over at the bed, she was happy to find Logan still asleep. 

Multiple times overnight, her phone alarm got her up so she could wake Logan and make sure he didn’t sleep through the potential concussion. It meant a restless evening, but if it helped keep Logan in tip top shape, it was a tradeoff worth making.

She checked her phone, firing off three texts. One to Wallace, letting him know she’d be home after Logan got discharged. A second to her dad, just to give an update. Finally, she sent a quick message to Dick; he responded first, thanking her for the update. Never in a million years had she imagined spending even five minutes of her holiday break as texting buddies with Dick Casablancas.  _ Oh, the things I’d do for you, Logan _ .

Veronica stared at the bed, wondering what time she should wake Logan up. When would someone be there to check him out, for injuries and out of this damned place? Should they eat breakfast before? 

What was hospital food like in the morning? Her appetite salivated at the thought of bacon, eggs, sausage, and pancakes, but she had a feeling the reality would be cereal or toast with butter. She didn’t dwell on it too much the night before, but the cafeteria burger only tasted delicious because of how hungry and worried she’d been.

She got up and stretched out her limbs; Logan’s room came equipped with a sink, so she could brush her teeth using the disposable toothbrushes they apparently had on hand for surprise overnight guests. It beat the hell out of leaving to go to a convenience store.

Veronica mussed up her hair, glancing in the mirror. God, she looked exactly like she’d expect someone to after worrying about their maybe-a-boyfriend for half a day. She swore she even spotted wrinkles around her eyes. It had been a full day since the last time she’d put clean clothes on, or applied makeup, or dedicated any time at all to her appearance.

How did Logan even stand to look at her? Yet, if he woke up right then, he’d compliment her on her appearance, she had no doubt.

“You look beautiful, Veronica.”

_ Right, those would be his exact words _ . She glanced up when she realized it wasn’t in her head, spotting his loving gaze staring back at her. “Morning, hockey star,” she greeted him. “How do you feel?”

“Not too bad.” Logan stretched, testing out his muscles. “Ribs are sore. Head feels fine. Sides are a little bruised.” He sat up fully, extending his arms. “I’m ready to go.” He gave a little mini fist pump, grinning.

Veronica agreed; he physically looked and seemed in  _ really _ good spirits. “Want me to find a doctor?”

“Yes, please. Thanks, snookums,” he teased. Then he dropped his head against the pillow, exhaling lightly.

Veronica went to work, closing the door silently behind her. She walked into every open room on their floor, finding each reception desk either busy or empty. It felt like impossibly bad luck, but she couldn’t find an orderly to help. 

When she stopped in front of a vending machine - which she  _ so _ hadn’t seen the night before - she deposited the exact change for some granola bars. She got chocolate and peanut butter for Logan and a plain snack for herself. Veronica considered searching for a drink machine, but instead decided to settle for water back in the room.

On her way back, annoyed at the lack of progress getting the hell out of Dodge, she spotted the man from the prior night, Doctor Hutchins. “Hey!” she called out impatiently. 

He turned around at her voice, appearing startled. “Veronica, right? Logan Echolls’ friend?”

“Yes.” She nodded. “That’s me.”

“I was going to come to Mr. Echolls’ room in a little while. How is he doing? None of our overnight observations noted anything out of the ordinary with his readings.”

“He says he feels fine, thankfully,” Veronica told him. She smiled. It felt good to know Logan was going to be OK. For the first time since that terrifying moment he crumpled to the ground, she was sure everything would end up just peachy.

“Then I’ll be by in a few minutes and we can get you both on your way.”

“Thanks, Doc.”

Veronica returned to Logan’s room, feeling ten pounds lighter than when she’d left. She handed Logan his granola bar, whispering a promise for a proper breakfast once they got out of there. Back to normal, he snarked at her about the great hospital food they were missing out on, and Veronica just kissed his cheek in response.

“We both know I need real food to keep the starving tiger at bay, Lo.”

He laughed. “That you do, Bobcat. That you do.”

She’d missed that light, happy look on him.

...

Logan felt good to call Veronica by his pet nickname. She was still as fiery and passionate as the day he fell in love with her, and ‘Bobcat’ remained an apt moniker. 

In the fifteen minutes since they’d begun eating their snacks, only a few words had passed between them. Logan was lost in thought, remembering moments where Veronica lived up to her nickname: squeezing his prick with her muscles, riding him with the delicious intensity he associated with her. She was magnificent at everything she did, and lighting his nerve endings afire wasn’t any different. 

Watching her, he figured Veronica was experiencing a similar trip through their personal highlight reel. It became more difficult by the day to stick to his guns and avoid falling into a predominantly physical relationship with her.

Except... she’d stayed. She didn’t have to remain with him and watch over him. The Aaron Echolls Experience taught him more about concussions than he cared to know, so Logan was aware that the first night with a potentially concussed person involved frequent checkups and infrequent sleep cycles.

It meant a lot that Veronica cared for him enough to be his personal nurse. He was finally coming around to the fact that she was in this with him. Logan thought that maybe, just maybe, he was confident enough in them to attempt moving their relationship past the platonic stage. He really wanted to kiss her. Watching her full lips purse, her eyebrows furrow in concentration as she licked her fingers of the granola oats, lapping up the final crumbs from her healthier snack... He really fucking wanted to latch his mouth onto hers and say to hell with Doctor Hutchins and the hospital staff.

That said doctor chose that exact moment to make his entrance was just his fucking luck.

He sighed. “Hey, doc. What’s the prognosis?”

“Mr. Echolls,” he greeted.

“Mr. Echolls makes me sound like my dad. Please, call me Logan.”

“Fine. How are you feeling, Logan?”

He glanced at Veronica. Hadn’t she explained this to the good doctor already? Why the replay? “I feel fine. Bruised ribs. No headaches. No concussion symptoms. I’m a little achy, but that’s no different from your normal Tuesday,” Logan rattled off. God, he hoped they let him leave. Even if he didn’t get to rejoin his teammates until after Christmas, he desperately wanted to get out of the boring, monotonous hospital room.

“Perfect. I’ll just repeat yesterday’s questions one final time, and then we can get you released.”

_ Yes! _ Logan shouted inside his mind. “Awesome. Hit me, doc.”

...

Veronica called the taxi within a minute of Doctor Hutchins giving the OK. By the time the yellow monstrosity pulled up the curb, she and Logan were antsy to get back to his hotel. They decided while waiting for the paperwork to go back to his room, change into fresh clothes, then walk to a local diner and grab the largest family-style breakfast deal on the menu. Veronica also badly needed a coffee. The lack of sleep was quickly catching up to her. 

She gave the driver the address, sidling in next to Logan. The drive wasn’t too long - apparently, the Chicago traffic at 10:15 A.M. didn’t care about being a pain in the ass - so she spent most of it snuggling her head into Logan’s shoulder, inhaling the enticing scent of  _ hockey player  _ and  _ love of her life! _ that screamed Logan. 

She couldn’t believe she’d managed to hold out for a full eighteen months - and, really, the four before that - without experiencing the lovable cuddling he specialized in. Every time their bodies came into close contact with one another, every other human on the planet fell away and the entire world focused on Logan. Nobody else had made her feel that way, and Veronica was absolutely sure there was no one who would. Logan was it for her. 

It was why she really hoped the gift she’d gotten him conveyed her feelings. She’d searched far and wide for something that showed both how much she thought of him and how deeply she loved him 

She wanted to tell him that soon, when the time was right. For all his patience, he deserved a special serenading, a parade of trombones announcing to the entire damned population of Chicago that she loved him. Maybe that would finally convince him. That, or just saying the words first, without prompting,  _ one time _ . Veronica wasn’t sure. 

“Hey, stranger. What’s got your pretty brain all aflutter?” Logan asked her out of the blue, just before they saw their hotel in the distance.

She blinked up at him. Had she been staring at him for the entire drive?  _ Wow _ . “Just thinking, Lo.”

“Veronica Mars thinking is a dangerous game. I should know,” he teased. When the taxi slowed to a halt, Logan paid in cash, tossing in a healthy tip, and they climbed out of the vehicle. 

“Not my fault you frequently do things that require my spectacular brainpower to bail you out, honey,” she said, pinching his cheek. “I  _ am _ pretty good at saving your bacon, though, Logan.”

“Pot, kettle,” he shot back. “Can’t let the evil guys get the jump on your cute ass, after all.”

He playfully tickled her side, which was the exact moment Veronica had an epiphany: their relationship had changed again, this time into a playful, relaxed partnership, where she actually trusted him without reservation. The old Veronica wouldn’t have been comfortable enough with Logan to lapse into games like this in full view of people. It was a shocking realization, especially to have on a city sidewalk, but she couldn’t control when her mind made connections.

Logan grabbed her hand, completing her mental picture, and held on tightly as they walked up to his room. He swiped the room key, opening the door with a quick hip shove. Veronica waltzed right in after him, realizing belatedly that she needed him to run down to the hotel store to buy her a set of clothes while she showered. 

When she relayed that to him, he grinned conspiratorially, frightening her. “No, Logan,” she said preemptively.

“What?” he answered, whistling in a way she assumed was meant to convey innocence, but she wasn’t buying it.

She narrowed her eyes. “I want this outfit to be something my dad could see me in.”

“What if I get two outfits, one for your dad and public consumption and one for  _ my  _ consumption?”

“Logan, did you just make a joke about devouring me in the same sentence you referenced my dad? Please,  _ please _ tell me you didn’t.”

He grinned unrepentantly, waggling his eyebrow. “Sorry, Bobcat. No can do.”

She nearly melted at the second instance of his nickname for her in such a short time. She really loved that one. “Sure, you can. But fine, Logan. You win this one.”

She let him have the victory, laughing all the way into the bathroom. She gently shut the door behind her, climbing out her clothes. Once the water was running, cascading off her naked body, she shivered, mentally picturing Logan using her skin as a canvas, running circles with his tongue over every available surface.

The steam from the shower quickly took over the room. As Veronica ran her fingers through her hair, the shampoo creating suds, she thought back to Logan, downstairs, alone. An involuntary shiver of anticipation ran through her. She shook it off, rushing to finish up as quickly as she could.

Veronica climbed out of the shower a few minutes later, rubbing the towel over her wet skin. She could hear Logan shuffling around in the main room, presumably bearing gifts for her. She briefly contemplated just walking out of the bathroom fully nude, sure that Logan wouldn’t mind. The only thing that stopped her was the logical realization that things were so good between them, and that Logan was right to want to do everything correctly this time. She wanted to experience another first date with him, the way she had that wonderful summer. They deserved a fairytale romance, complete with long walks after dinner and trips to the movies.

Knowing them, they probably wouldn’t be celibate much longer, but she at least wanted to make a go at this slow thing. Walking out the way she looked now was sure to end in one way only - with Logan’s dick slowly and torturously reaching familiar depths inside of her, their bodies intertwined under the sheets for hours. 

She opened the door a crack. “Can you bring those new clothes over, please, Lo?”

He walked to the slightly ajar bathroom door, handing her a brown paper bag; back inside, Veronica opened it up and carefully unfolded the black, skintight yoga pants Logan had purchased for her.

Her guy thought he was so slick. The pants would cling to her ass, molding to her curves. Veronica knew full well that Logan would barely take his eyes off her butt during the walk to the diner - unless absolutely necessary. She reached for the shirt, pleasantly surprised to find a fancy enough number that she had no qualms about wearing it out in public. He’d done well there.

She put the outfit on, doing a quick spin for herself in the bathroom mirror.

“You look wonderful,” Logan said from the doorway, startling her. She hadn’t heard him come in.

“You picked nicely. Ready?”

“Not yet. Come sit with me.”

Veronica stared at him, puzzled, but acquiesced at his pleading grin. She hoped he was OK. It wasn’t like him to want a quiet rest like this. 

Maybe she was overthinking it? Could one actually worry too much in a situation like this? She hadn’t had any firsthand experience as caretaker for a head trauma patient. What if they left the hospital too quickly? She’d been ready to leave, but what if that was a mistake?

“Get out of your head, Veronica,” Logan whispered gruffly in her ear.

She looked down at the bed, then up at him. “Were you reading my mind? Damn.”

“I know you. I know you’re wondering if I’m feeling OK, just because I wanted to relax for a quick second.”

Damn. He was totally right. “Fine. But... you are OK, right?” she asked.

Logan chuckled, tracing a thumb down her cheek. “I’m fine, Veronica. I just wanted to enjoy a minute of peace and quiet. We haven’t had a moment to stop and think pretty much ever since you showed up at my room a few nights ago. We’re together now, right?”

“We’re trying to be, yeah. We both want to be, and I think we’re pretty much there,” Veronica said, sighing into his shoulder. “I feel really good about us right now, Logan. We’re about to go on a breakfast date, and we can schedule a Christmas date later on. Things are looking up.”

Veronica waited for a response, content to just enjoy Logan holding her. They would have plenty of time to catch a meal after they gathered themselves. It was the small, precious moments like this that Veronica badly missed during the months they were way from each other. She’d never truly appreciate how fucking great Logan was at the intimate moments in a relationship. He made it difficult to be pessimistic about the world, even with how much shit life had handed them.

It was one of the things she adored most about him.

As she laid there, nestled in Logan’s arms, Veronica was suddenly grateful that they’d taken the route they had. It’d been immensely difficult on both of them, but reaching this? This place where they were comfortable with each other, and able to fully appreciate one another? That was worth all the ups and downs life had to offer.

For once, Veronica could see some light at the end of the tunnel. She just needed to come out the other side. And if she stumbled, Logan would catch her.


	13. Prone Position

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A huge thank you to CubbieGirl1723 for beta-reading this chapter.

Logan knew that he and Veronica had made a breakthrough over the last few hours. They’d gone to a quaint breakfast at the local diner, and it felt so very normal. It felt like they were becoming adults.

He liked it. She wanted to be seen in public with him, sharing eggs and milk and coffee in a highly visible window booth. It delighted Logan. 

When they wrapped up their meal, Veronica insisted they grab a taxi and head back to Wallace’s dad’s place, which was how they found themselves squished together in a jam-packed car with another couple. They’d been the second ones picked up, so Logan and Veronica squeezed together in the backseat, snuggling together and watching the city sights pass them by. 

The cab dropped off the other couple first, allowing Logan and Veronica to spread out and relax in the backseat. He briefly considered hopping into the front, but the prospect of losing the feeling of Veronica’s body pressed tightly to his side dissuaded him from pursuing that idea. 

Logan leaned over and buried the top of his head into her neck, sighing contentedly. “What do you want to do the rest of the day?” he whispered.

She patted the top of his head, looking out the window as she spoke. “Let’s see if Wallace is free for that rain check, OK?”

“That sounds fun,” Logan agreed. It wouldn’t be the first time the three of them had hung out, but the last time they’d done so, he’d merely been Veronica’s boyfriend, not Wallace’s friend. The new dynamic needed to be fleshed out, examined for potholes. 

“I think he’ll be available. Maybe we should see if his dad wants to join us. It  _ is _ almost Christmas, and Wallace came to Chicago for him. I’ve been monopolizing all of my dear friend’s time,” she said with a laugh.

“That sounds perfect, Veronica. I still haven’t met Wallace’s dad,” Logan pointed out. “It would be nice to do that.”

Logan gladly let the peaceful, quiet acceptance wash over them for the remainder of the drive. When the cabbie pulled up at the curb, Logan shook his head. Nathan’s house was larger than he’d been expecting, complete with a cobblestone driveway, matching trees in front of each corner of the house, and four windows per floor facing the street. The bright red door that greeted them reminded Logan of Christmas. 

Veronica knocked, smiling when Wallace’s imposing father opened the door. Logan was surprised to see someone other than Wallace home. Was Nathan not working? Maybe it was his lunch break.

His questions were answered when they walked further into the large home, finding Wallace in the kitchen putting two sandwiches together. 

“Oh, hey,” he greeted them. “How are you feeling, Logan?” Wallace asked. 

“Hey, man. Much better. Happy to be out of the hospital.”

Wallace turned to Veronica. “Did you guys eat? Or do you want me to whip up something?”

Veronica sidled up next to her best friend, reaching over to the sink to wash her hands. “I got it, Fennel.”

“OK, Supafly. We have cold cuts, bread, leftover lobster from last night, leftover pasta with meatballs from two nights ago, plus a ton of different ingredients if you’re feelin’ like cooking, V,” he told her.

“Lobster is a no-go unless I want to never kiss Logan again,” she said with a laugh, smiling at Wallace’s curious expression. “He’s allergic to shellfish, dude.”

“Oh. I didn’t know that.” He turned toward Logan. “Sorry, man.”

Logan shrugged it off. If Aaron hadn’t remembered, he didn’t expect someone who’d only really been his friend for the last year to know that. It tickled him that Veronica always remembered. Honestly, he’d rather kiss Veronica and take the chance, but she would never understand.

“No worries,” he offered.

Veronica eventually decided to make matching peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for her and Logan, slathering his with the crunchy version and hers with the creamy. It would be enough to hold them both over until dinnertime, which...

“Do you want to grab dinner tonight, Wallace?” Logan asked. He was pretty certain Veronica had already asked Wallace but wanted to reiterate that he liked the idea.

“Yeah, we can do that. Tomorrow’s Christmas Eve, so I promised Dad I’d spent the night with him.” He glanced at them. “Are you going to spend the evening with each other? I kinda assumed we wouldn’t be together, V.”

“No, it’s OK, Wallace. We hadn’t talked about it, but,” she glanced at Logan, “I assume we’re going to. Right, Logan?”

He nodded. “We can get dinner, sure. But, Wallace, why don’t you ask your dad if he wants to come with us tonight? I’d like to get to know him.”

Wallace looked startled, which Logan didn’t understand. Of  _ course _ they’d want to spend time with his family.

“I can ask him. I’ll go right now.” Wallace left the room; Logan could hear him talking to his dad before he left their earshot.

He turned and gazed at Veronica, glad they were alone again. He was hesitant to push the envelope too much when they were guests in the Fennel-Woods household, though. It was simple manners.

“Hi,” she said, her lips twitching upward into a smile. “Cat got your tongue?”

Logan scooted his chair so their knees were mere inches apart, gently prying her legs apart so he could lean in, closing the distance between him. He’d kept up the mirage of a wall between them, but was ready. He ran a thumb up the side of Veronica’s cheek, caressing her skin. “You’re beautiful,” he whispered.

He could tell it’d startled her from her quick gasp, accompanied by heavy, rapid breaths. “You’re not too bad yourself, Echolls.”

He smirked. “Last names, is it?” He leaned back. “Two can play that game, Mars.”

She grinned. “What if I don’t want to play a game?”

He made to pull back, so she moved lightning quick to grab his shirt, keeping him close. Logan glanced down, raising an eyebrow. “Then I’m gonna kiss you,” he whispered.

“Please do,” Veronica gave him permission.

Logan lightly held her cheeks in his palms, touching foreheads. He leaned in, smelling the sweet scent of her strawberry-flavored lip gloss. God, he was actually going to kiss Veronica Mars again. He’d spent months -  _ years _ \- imagining them getting back to this point, and it was fucking  _ finally _ here. The memory of the momentary glimpses from the last few days - including at the mall - wouldn’t compare to a real, genuine kiss with both of them invested.

He closed the rest of the gap, pressing his lips to hers in a sweet, enduring kiss. It felt just like the first time outside the Camelot, a rapid thrum of emotions and thoughts zooming through his mind. Lust. Adoration. Affection. Each word invoked a new emotional response in Logan, and he deepened the kiss, slipping his tongue into her mouth. She was receptive, so he lowered his hands to her side, pulling her onto his lap.

Fuck, he was already stone hard, his erection straining against his pants. She wiggled a little on his lap, nestling his hard-on between her ass cheeks. If they weren’t careful, they’d get carried away in Wallace’s kitchen.

_ Fuck! _

Right on cue, their friend’s voice cut through the thick, sexually charged tension in the air. “Seriously, guys? My kitchen?”

Veronica whimpered in embarrassment, so Logan helped her hide her flaming face from prying eyes by hugging her into his neck. Thankfully, they hadn’t gotten to a state of undress.  _ That _ would have been embarrassing as hell. 

“Sorry, dude. We, uh, got a little carried away.” Logan hoped he looked appropriately contrite, because he sure didn’t feel it.

“Whatever, man. Ugh! I need to wash out my eyes. Guess that answers my question though. Just ‘cause I’m friends with both of you doesn’t make that shit any easier to watch. This ain’t a voyeurism showcase. V, you got a room here.  _ Use it _ , please.”

With that, Wallace walked away, shuddering.

Logan turned to Veronica as soon as he was gone, tucking a strand of her hair out of her face. “You doing OK there?”

“Oh, yeah, sure, I’m fine - except for the part where my best friend almost caught us  _ fucking at his kitchen table! _ I can’t believe Wallace found us in such a prone position. We have to be careful, Lo. I don’t want to scar Wallace when he’s being a good sport about you hanging out with me on my visit.”

Logan supposed she had a point. He didn’t want to burn any graphic images into their friend’s retinas, either. “Fine.” Though... “If he walks into your room later, that’s on him, V.”

She laughed a little, and Logan was happy to ease the palpable tension. “Sure.”

As they walked back to her room, Logan couldn’t believe his good fortune. He had the girl, the friends, the job, and things were looking up. Nothing could bring down his good mood. 

...

Keith Mars was having a  _ grand _ time on vacation. Most of his Neptune-related worries went by the wayside as he convinced himself to take a true vacation and enjoy the time off. 

He was glad Veronica had gone to Chicago rather than wallowing in self-pity either at Stanford or back home in Neptune. 

Sure, the reality that she met Logan again maybe wouldn’t have been his first choice a year ago, but... the kid had made a name for himself separate from his bastard of a father. 

Keith hadn’t ever wanted Logan Echolls for his daughter. He was rough around the edges, a fighter instead of a lover. Unfortunately, the few times they’d forgotten how thin the walls were taught Keith that he had that part down, too.

That was a big reason why Keith didn’t like Logan Echolls before Veronica had left for Stanford. The kid was arrogant, so sure in his charm that he wormed his way into his daughter’s heart and never relinquished that stranglehold.

Keith wasn’t stupid. Things with Leo, with Duncan, with Piz... they’d fizzled out in large part because Veronica was positively smitten with Logan.

During his first go-round with Alicia, his girlfriend had made him face the reality head-on that Logan could one day become his son-in-law. She’d liked him, citing his fierce protectiveness and love for the ones he cared about.

She’d compared Keith himself to Logan, an idea that resonated with him, forcing him to tolerate Logan until the prick had thrown a lamp and terrified Veronica.

God, after that, Keith had wanted nothing more than for his daughter to exorcise the Logan-sized demons in her life, to walk away from Neptune after high school and never look back. When she’d gone back to Duncan Kane senior year, he’d been happy as he could be for her, but sensed something was off.

Now...

He glanced down at Alicia, smiling at her soft features as she napped. They’d worn each other out. She’d grounded him lately, reminding him of the time after Aaron’s arrest. “You’re good to me,” he whispered, secretly hoping she was asleep still. 

He wondered how Veronica was taking the revelation that he’d stayed in contact with Logan, going as far as attending his debut. Alicia hadn’t gone with them, having a prior commitment, but Wallace had asked him to go, and Keith wanted to support Logan.

Through it all, the feeling that Logan Echolls would be his son-in-law one day never abated. He figured the best way to come to terms with it would be to extend an olive branch to him - specifically, one that wasn’t dependent on Veronica.

Now, several months later, Keith stared at his phone from his place next to his serious girlfriend, watching as Logan Echolls’ caller ID popped up on his cell phone. “Hello?” he asked. He was somewhat surprised to hear from Logan, given Veronica had texted him an update that morning and implied they’d be spending the day together.

When no sound came through from the other side, Keith strained his ears, listening to see if it was a prank call. He threw the phone away in disgust and horror when he recognized the sounds of kissing coming from the other side.

That was something a father never needed to hear his daughter do, no matter how much of a responsible adult she’d become.

...

Dissatisfied at the lack of time she and Logan’d had to go further than making out, Veronica was in a sour mood by their dinner.

She stared at Nathan Woods from across the table, her eyes clouded with thinly veiled disapproval at the topic of conversation. She’d always kind of liked Wallace’s dad, but this was the first time she’d gotten to really know him outside of casual greetings.

She glanced at Logan, following his gaze as they took in the words. Nathan seemed decent, but there was just  _ something  _ off. Veronica was nothing if not suspicious, and Wallace’s dad caused her hackles to rise.

She filed the concern away for later and forced herself to enjoy dinner. It was nice to spend time with Wallace, and seeing her best friend and the guy on the precipice of becoming her boyfriend again hitting it off warmed her heart.

“Veronica?” she heard Nathan call her name.

She shook her head, turning to face him. “What?”

“You’re a million miles away, V,” Wallace said. He beckoned towards their server. “Dessert?”

Oh. “Can I get a slice of chocolate mousse, please?” she requested.

“Sure thing.” The waiter collected the menus from everyone and walked away, a light chuckle at their lips.

Veronica felt a bit silly. She’d gotten so wrapped up in her thoughts that she made a fool of herself. She reached for Logan’s hand under the table, lacing her fingers through his, squeezing his hand. Having his reassurance worked wondered. She needed to think about what she’d heard, maybe do some light sleuthing into Nathan’s past. She’d have to tread carefully so as to not alienate Wallace, but her best friend deserved to know what his dad had been up to for all those years. She didn’t know how to explain it, but it just set off her radar, years of experience as an investigator telling her to not let it go.

...

Veronica flopped down onto her bed, tired from all the excitement of the day. The dinner had exhausted her, her hurricane of questions about Nathan bubbling to the surface. That the day had begun with Logan at the hospital seemed foreign now.

She started when her phone began ringing, glancing down in surprise when her father’s name greeted her. “Hey, Dad.”

“Hi, honey. Did I catch you at a good time?” he asked.

“Yeah. Logan just took a taxi back to the team hotel a few minutes ago. Since he’s all healthy, the doctor told us this morning that he didn’t need anyone to sit vigil at his bedside tonight.” She tutted. “I almost insisted on it anyway.”

“Of course you did, Veronica. He’s doing OK, though?”

“Yeah. We had a good day, Dad. It was... pleasant, I guess? We had so much drama at Hearst that I kind of forgot how good we were together that summer.” She made a silent pact with herself to never let herself lose sight of that again.

“I bet.” He chucked, the sound nice even over the phone.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Is there anything you want to tell me, honey? Are you back together with Logan?”

She hesitated. “Yeah. We’re back together. I really missed him, Dad.” She still had a lot of questions for her dad, but they could wait until later. She knew some of the important stuff.

“I know, Veronica. But...” he trailed off, sounding confused. Then he coughed. “Logan butt-dialed me earlier today. I, uh... I heard you two. It sounded like you were  _ doing _ something.”

Oh, God. Veronica flushed despite the fact that her dad couldn’t physically see her from thousands of miles away. How embarrassing. “This doesn’t get any less awkward with age, does it?” We’re adults. It’s fine. 

“OK, honey. I didn’t call to complain about your boyfriend’s inability to lock his cell phone. I just wanted to make sure you were all right.”

Veronica smiled despite herself. Her dad always surprised her, and his recent attitude toward Logan showed her he was open to change. “I’m fine.”

“I know I’ve never been Logan’s biggest fan, but if you’ve decided to give it another shot... I wouldn’t find it the worst thing in the world, Veronica. I’ll support you no matter who you decide to date, but I like Logan. He’s a good egg.”

The words meant more to her than she could possibly voice, so Veronica didn’t try to. Having her father’s support made the journey more palatable, the challenges small fry compared to what she’d already been through. She loved the big fella, even when he gave her no warning before dropping embarrassing bombshells on her. “Thanks,” she whispered, emotion choking her voice.

“When the holidays are over, and you’re back at Stanford, maybe Logan and I can coordinate a visit up to you,” her dad offered. 

Ever the voice of reason, that was her dad. 

Except in that particular instance, the reminder of her holiday break’s expiration date served to ruin Veronica’s good mood. What would happen afterward? She hadn’t given it any thought, and at the late hour, she decided resolutely to shove the worry aside. It was a problem for Future Veronica. “That would be nice, Dad.”

“I have to go, honey. You’ll call tomorrow? It’s going to be our first Christmas Eve without each other in years.”

Her first year in Stanford, her dad had surprised her with a visit for just Christmas Eve and Day. “Of course I’ll call you tomorrow. And on the 25th, obviously.”

“Good. Tell Logan and Wallace I said hello, and give them holiday hugs for me.”

“Sure, Dad. Good night. Love you,” Veronica said, then hung up after he echoed her.

Lying on her bed, Veronica thought about the phrase  _ carpe diem _ and decided tomorrow, she would live that motto. She’d pull Logan aside, cornering him if need be. She and Logan would  _ finally _ get to enjoy themselves.

She fell asleep with a small smile on her face, her dreams filled with Leaning Logans seizing the day.


	14. Game, Set, Match

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Many, many thanks to CubbieGirl1723 for her help with this chapter. Also, I've added two things to this chapter's end notes. They contain spoilers for this chapters, so I put them at the end.

_December 24, 2008_

Logan woke up before Veronica, if the lack of a ‘Merry Christmas Eve’ text was any indication. He couldn’t  _ wait _ to give her her Christmas present the next day. The closer the holiday got, the more excited he became. He only hoped she liked it.

He rolled over, testing out his limbs. Finding none protesting the sudden movements, Logan sat up in the bed. In a stark contrast to the previous morning in the hospital, the lack of a snarking Veronica Mars at his side kept him grounded. He had a few morning chores to take care of before he could call her, but looked forward to seeing her nonetheless.

His first order of business was to check in with Dick, who he hadn’t actually spoken with since before his injury.

Dick picked up on the fourth ring, typical of his best friend. He lived by the motto that you had to keep a person waiting and couldn’t appear too eager. That hadn’t changed with the New and Improved Dick Casablancas.

“Hey, bro. How’re you feeling?” Dick asked.

“Better. I figured it’s time to call you.” He chuckled. “How are you holding down the fort?”

“Not gonna lie, Logan. It’s boring as fuck here without you. I’ve been playing Halo and Mortal Kombat, but against other players  _ online! _ It’s horrible, man. You gotta come back,” he joked.

Logan grinned over the phone. Their friendship had stood the test of time, and Dick was advancing well enough in life, but at their core, their dynamic boiled down to a testosterone-infused love of first-person shooter games, blood, and gore, the triumvirate of male joy, at least to Dick. 

Then he thought about the worst part of moving to Chicago, and his smile fell. “What about the waves? Let me live vicariously through you, Dick.”

Dick went uncharacteristically quiet on the other end. “That blows. I didn’t even think about that. If I ever leave Neptune, you gotta make sure I go somewhere with beach access, Logan.”

Logan laughed. “Sure, man. I’ll get right on that. Right after I hire you for some job and get you a girlfriend.”

“I got the girlfriend part covered, bro,” Dick gloated. “Hopefully I’ll have the job thing out of the way next summer, too.”

Logan paused. “You’re dating?”

Dick’s own break in the conversation at the question made Logan wonder. “Yes. Nobody you’d know,” his best friend eventually settled on. “I met her at the new local club downtown.”

Logan listened to Veronical’s inside his head, filing away the pertinent bits of information he’d picked up from Dick for later use, then zeroed in on the conversation again, remembering the easy solution. “What’s her name?”

Dick sighed. “Sue.”

Sue? Logan didn’t think he knew anyone by that name, so why would his friend be hesitant? “OK. Why the secrecy?”

“Susan Knight,” Dick admitted sheepishly. 

The one with the baby? “Damn, dude. Have you met her kid?” Logan asked, then winced at how insensitive that came across.

“Yeah. Kid’s cute. I’ve only been out on a few dates with her, most of them after you left. I just met her baby girl last night.”

Logan wondered how that’d gone. Dick didn’t come off as someone who’d be good with a child, but Logan knew better; the new version of his best friend would freak out, but try his best nonetheless. “How old is she?” Even after he asked, Logan did some mental calculations in his head. Carrie Bishop had accused Mr. Rooks of knocking her up when Veronica was investigating his mom’s death, right before the first time they got together. 

Logan knew every important date during their relationship. If Susan gave birth a few months later, the kid would be around three and a half by now. When Dick confirmed that, Logan grinned at his own sleuthing.  _ See Sugarpuss, I can be a detective just like you. _

Thinking of Veronica for even a millisecond brought his thoughts back to the night before, to the stolen kisses before their dinner with Nathan and the scene Wallace interrupted in the kitchen. Logan intuitively knew that had they continued along that path, they would’ve been naked within minutes, christening their friend’s kitchen table. That would have been great fun, but Wallace would’ve skinned them alive for it.

He glanced at the clock, deciding he wanted to call Veronica as soon as possible, even if only to hear her voice. It was amazing how quickly he’d fallen back into his sappy routine of longing for the sweetness Veronica could offer.

Quickly, Logan wrapped up his conversation, making a promise to call Dick after his Christmas morning breakfast. 

He fiddled with his cell phone, debating whether to call or text. It was taken out of his hands a minute later when the small device lit up, Veronica’s name prompting a bright smile on Logan’s face. “Hey, Veronica.”

“Merry Christmas Eve, Echolls,” her voice whispered through the receiver. “How long have you been awake?”

Logan glanced at the clock. “Only an hour or so. I called Dick. I have other things to take care of at some point, but I was actually about to call you,” he told her. “Whatcha wearing?”

“Who, me? The black lace thing you used to love peeling off my body with your teeth.”

Logan groaned. “Damn, V. You sure you can’t come see me?”

“Actually, Wallace and his dad offered to drop me off at your hotel if you’re ready,” Veronica said. 

He heard the eagerness in her voice and couldn’t help but reciprocate. “Sure. I’ll hop in the shower. If you’re leaving soon, I’ll be ready by the time you get here.”

“See you soon, Logan. I, uh... I got you something,” she admitted, apparently nervous. “Should I bring it now or do you want to wait? I know you won’t be going back to the team for a few more days, so I figured we could spend some time together tomorrow.”

“I have something for you too, V. Why don’t we exchange gifts tomorrow?” Logan asked. 

“OK. We can do that.” Logan heard voices through the phone and waited, assuming it was Wallace or his dad. “We’re getting ready to leave in a few. See you soon, Logan.”

He smiled. “Can’t wait, Veronica.”

...

Waiting for Veronica was excruciating. Logan grew impatient, deciding to throw the hotel TV on. He barely listened to the drivel the reporters were spewing, the sounds nothing more than background noise to calm his nerves. Why was he acting like this would be their first time? If they even decided to have sex?

God, Logan had seen Veronica in every imaginable position. He’d  _ fucked _ her in most of those. Their emotional connection was deeper than he’d ever had with anyone else, but their physical connection defied logic. He knew he was good looking; the sea of women who threw themselves at him during high school and college, even and especially after his dad had been outed as a murderer, was a testament to that.

Veronica was beautiful; he’d known she was hot even when they were twelve years old, but the strong and ferocious woman she’d grown up to become surpassed his basic definition of hot. Logan found her intoxicating, a perfect mixture of cunning and confident, sexy and tenacious. Especially in the bedroom, where they’d learned each others’ bodies in unison. He didn’t have any reason to be nervous, and yet, he was.

Logan sat up when he heard the knock at his hotel door, running a nervous hand through his hair. He collected his emotions, striding purposefully to the door. He opened it, finding Veronica poised with her hand in the air. 

They stood, staring at each other. Logan lowered his eyes to roam her body, taking in every inch of the gorgeous black strapless outfit she’d worn, likely for him. It revealed a considerable amount of skin, and Logan wanted to tear the eyes out of every person who’d given her a once-over on her way through the hotel.

Then it all happened at once, a series of small, incremental changes. 

First, Veronica moved forward, stepping through the threshold and kissing him like her life depended on it. She immediately slid her tongue against his bottom lip, grazing the skin with her teeth. 

Next, Logan lowered his hands to her ass, lifting her up so she could wrap her legs around his waist. He walked them further into the room, reaching aimlessly for the door to give them privacy. The scene reminded Logan of the last time they’d gotten back together, the night Veronica finally came to him in the Neptune Grand. 

Finally, Veronica slipped her fingers inside the waistband of the sweatpants he’d yet to change out of, grasping his cock. She gave an experimental tug, pumping lazily as he smiled against her mouth.

“We’re doing this for real, right, Logan?” she asked.

“Yes. God, Veronica, yes,” Logan panted out. As if he’d have the willpower to say no to her in their current position. He wanted her so fucking badly. And Veronica genuinely seemed to be treating their relationship with the respect he so fervently desired.

Logan shimmied them against a wall, resting his forehead against hers. “How do you want it?”

Veronica appeared to think about it. “Hard and fast, the first time. Sweet and slow, the second.”

“That, my dear, I can do,” Logan told her, and then stopped talking.

He decided he wanted to reenact that evening at the Grand, resolute in the desire to overwrite the shitty memories of that breakup with pleasant ones. He lightly pushed her back against the hotel wall, craning his neck to attach his lips to that pulse point he spent so much time admiring. 

Logan sucked softly at the skin, pinching it between his teeth. His hands slid up and down her hips, squeezing the flesh of her ass, grinding their bodies together. Veronica kept one hand around his cock, twisting the fabric of his nightshirt with her free hand. 

“Off,” she murmured, and he all too hastily obliged, lifting the obtrusive clothing out of her way. “So pretty, Lo.”

“Not pretty,” he protested, but grinned to soften the words. If Veronica wanted to call him a eight-legged giraffe, that was fine with him as long as she kept doing what she was right then. 

She trailed her pink fingernails up and down his chest, running them over the compact muscles he’d been strengthening through hockey. Logan had always taken care to keep in good physical shape, but as an athlete, he was more ripped than ever before.

It must’ve shown, because Veronica had never paid this much attention to the contours of his chest.

He didn’t mind, but lifted her chin with his thumb so they held eye contact. When she gave him a quick nod, Logan lifted her skirt out of the way. He fumbled with her knickers, running a smooth hand over the expanse of leg he could now see. She unwrapped her legs from around his waist as he rolled her underwear over her hips and down her legs in one motion, freeing her for his greedy inspection.

Fuck, he wanted to drop to his knees and take his time relearning exactly how delicious Veronica Mars tasted. He could spend hours going down on her, the very fact that he loved her adding to the pleasure. They’d have time for that later, though. 

For now, Logan removed the rest of his clothes. Veronica simultaneously unzipped her dress, then unclasped her bra. He took her hand off his cock, reaching into his pocket to retrieve the condom he’d thankfully remembered to grab. In just a few moments, he had the packet ripped open and rolled over his dick.

Logan bent down so he and Veronica were lined up, then kissed her lips at the same time she sank down on his cock. 

Fuck. 

It felt like he’d returned to heaven, a homecoming of sorts. Veronica, his golden goddess, moved up and down, taking him deeper with every thrust. He rocked his hips against her, pushing her harder into the wall; any neighbors they had in the hotel must’ve heard them rooms away with how loud they were.

When Logan reached a new - for this time - depth in her, he anticipated the coming moan and swallowed it, kissing her more soundly. She was so fucking hot like this, eyes closed, her neck exposed to him, panting heavily with desire, her hair mussed up. The sweat beginning to drip off her skin turned Logan on. The fact she needed to exert herself so heavily to keep up with him excited him to an unhealthy degree. 

After a few minutes of fucking at that angle, Logan realized she might not come this way. While he relished the sight of her perfect tits bouncing as she rode his cock with Veronica-like abandon, he also wanted to coax her to an earth-shattering orgasm. So he held her tightly, grasping her ass cheeks, and moved them both to the bed.

Logan lay Veronica on the bed first, inadvertently dislodging his cock from her. He gazed down at her naked body, drinking in every inch of perfection as she groaned atop the sheets, swiveling her hips as she hungrily beckoned him to join her on the bed. Logan eagerly followed, admiring how fucking beautiful the love of his life was. 

Veronica quickly wrapped her hand around his dick again, guiding him to position his body over her. He was all too OK with that if it meant his girlfriend was squeezing him with an exquisite mixture of pain and pleasure. She clenched her muscles around him as he entered her again. 

Logan happily took over then, thrusting into her with quick, rapid strokes. He thought they’d both be sore by the time this reunion was over with how energetic they’d been thus far. Logan leaned down and reattached his mouth to her neck, sliding his left hand slowly up her ribcage until he reached her breast. He leisurely played with her body then, alternating light nips at her neck with deep thrusts into her pussy, all while teasing her nipples.

As his strokes got faster, Veronica wrapped her legs tighter around him, her moans hitting a feverish tempo. Logan recognized when her moans sped up, her body’s way of saying she was close. He slowed down to focus more on finding new depths inside her, finding the pleasure point that would help her reach release. Logan turned her head to him and melded their lips together, kissing her breath away. 

When Veronica finally arrived at her peak, Logan smirked proudly, swallowing her ecstatic cries. He groaned in pleasure, speeding up his thrusts. A few minutes later, he reached orgasm himself, spurting into the condom. 

As he lay there, basking in the afterglow, Logan smiled into her hair, relishing in the delirious feeling of post-orgasmic bliss with Veronica Fucking Mars for the first time in almost two years. He honestly hadn’t realized quite how much he missed sex with Veronica until now. She was an excellent kisser, by far the best he’d ever been with, and it was easy for his memories of that to overshadow how good they were together in bed.

But the reality was much better. Logan slid out of her, peeling the condom off his wet, slowly-shrinking dick and glancing over at Veronica. She looked exhausted, but happily sated. He grinned, thrilled that he could still bring out that reaction in her.

God, the next few weeks were going to be phenomenal. He didn’t know exactly how long Veronica’s trip was, but Wallace had let it slip at their dinner last night that they had New Year’s Eve to plan for, so Logan had at least until then to devise some sort of plan for managing the long-distance reality that awaited them..

Any thoughts of a regular morning flew out the window when Veronica tangled her fingers into his hair, tugging him toward her cunt. Logan, never a man to turn down a delicious pussy on display  _ just  _ for him, worked his way down her body to tease her with tantalizing swipes of his tongue.

Leaning over to lap at her with teasing strokes, Logan shimmied her body so her ass was propped on a pillow, her pussy in a perfect position for him to spread her thighs further and bury his face in her. He licked the inside of her cunt, running his tongue in a circle, constantly making a concerted effort to give her more pleasure. 

In no time at all, Veronica was clenching his hair, pulling him tight against her. “God, Logan, please. Fuck. Please, more, Lo,” she panted almost unintelligibly, quick breaths escaping her lips. Fuck, even from a position of power, Veronica yielded control, allowing them to be equals. He  _ loved _ doing this for her. He loved drawing out every ounce of pleasure she could get, and went to work, drawing his tongue into a point, poking further into her.

When Veronica reached her second orgasm, she held Logan’s face flush against her pussy, flooding his mouth with her fluid. He greedily lapped up everything she had to offer until he was absolutely certain she’d spent herself dry, then climbed up her body, smiling down at her lovingly.

“Good morning to you, too, Veronica,” he laughed.

She smirked down at him. “Best one I’ve had in years.”

As they relaxed together, falling into each other’s arms, he tended to agree.

...

Veronica was on cloud nine, trembling from the first great orgasm she’d had in ages. Thankfully, Stanford had been so busy, the dates so incompatible, that she’d barely missed it at the time. Now, she wondered why she’d resisted Logan for so long the last few months at Hearst.

Feeling indignant at Madison seemed like such a foreign concept after years of going without Logan. Lying in her love’s arms, Veronica felt the words bubbling up inside her, and knew she was going to say them soon if she wasn’t careful.

She turned over, admiring Logan’s mostly-nude body, a scant sheet the only thing covering either of them. Veronica traced circles on Logan’s thigh, pressing her painted fingernail into his skin. Logan’s incredibly hot body was all hers, and she couldn’t have been happier. She and Logan had finally,  _ fucking finally _ , gotten their act together. 

The roadblocks along the way seemed so insignificant now. A part of Veronica knew that if they hadn’t found each other in Chicago, there could have easily been an alternate universe with nine years of radio silence, failed promises, and a much more cynical Veronica that feared life. This Veronica wanted to make a life with Logan work.

They had a lot to discuss over the next few weeks, but she wanted to experience a life alongside Logan Echolls, boyfriend extraordinaire, lover bar none. She craved a long-term relationship with him.

After their second round - or, more accurately, the tremendous experience of Logan eating her to a mind-blowing orgasm - they had cuddled up together and fallen into a light slumber.

Now, Veronica was getting hungry, the lack of lunch catching up to her. It was well into the afternoon, and she wanted to get something into her stomach. “Logan,” she prodded. “Wake up.”

He stirred, his eyelashes blinking as he woke. “Whaa?” 

Veronica found it so cute that she didn’t bother responding, instead reaching down to pinch his cheek. “Honey-bunches, I’m hungry. Can we eat?”

Her words woke him up fully. “What’s the point of that, V? We’ll just work off that food with,” he waggled his eyebrows, “exercise.”

Veronica giggled. “You’re ridiculous.” She stretched out her muscles, wincing at how sore her hips were already. Logan had  _ really _ fucked her, relentlessly pounding her into the mattress. She didn’t mind it, except that when they got around to him fucking her ass, that was going to leave her sore as hell. He’d somehow gotten more aggressive with age, but in the best ways; he was also, insanely, better in bed, and she was out of practice.

She chose not to dwell on how much of that improvement was tied to more experience. That was the exact type of lack of trust that previously made Logan doubt her commitment. He deserved the benefit of the doubt. He deserved her.

“Logan, I love you,” she told him abruptly, suddenly feeling foolish for continuing to wait. There would never be a perfect time to actually say those three words, but Veronica recognized how much her opinion of Logan had undergone a tectonic shift - or, her mind had caught up to the reality that always existed.

He had her trust, and he needed to know he had her love.

“Well, that’s good, because you know I’m in love with you too, Veronica,” Logan told her, finishing his confession by pressing his lips to hers in a blisteringly hot kiss. She finally felt like everything was OK. 

Game. Set. Match.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this fic is now additionally tagged as smut. And I want to thank TheShorty for their keen eye reading over the second scene. Their help made that scene even better, and I really appreciate it. I know Susan Knight gave her baby up for adoption in canon, but that isn't mentioned that I saw until the movie, so I've changed that here.


	15. False Start

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks as always to CubbieGirl1723 for beta-reading this chapter, which runs a little longer than my usual one for this story. Another new tag added with this.

_ December 25, 2008 _

The first thing Veronica noticed when she woke up was her boyfriend was snoring. She’d ultimately decided to sleep the night at Logan’s hotel, hoping to give Wallace and his dad some good quality time in the morning. Logan’s hard cock nestled against her ass immediately had her on alert, wondering if they’d get to repeat some of the previous day’s fun.

Veronica rolled over, coming face to face with a wide awake Logan. She pecked his lips. “Merry Christmas, Lo.”

He grinned right back at her. “Merry Christmas to you, too, Bobcat.”

“I don’t have my gift for you with me,” Veronica realized sadly. “We’ll have to take a cab back to Nathan’s at some point. I think Wallace and his dad were going to head out for breakfast this morning, so we’ll have to wait. Apparently, yesterday went well.”

Logan nuzzled his nose into her neck, lighting up the nerve endings in her spine. “I’m glad for him.” He stilled against her neck. “We still think something’s fishy with his dad, right?”

Veronica sighed. “Yeah. Would it be bad if I snooped around the house when we go there?”

“Yeah, probably,” he laughed out. “He’s your best friend’s father.”

Veronica grasped Logan’s shirt to pull him closer, kissing him hungrily. “You say the most logical things, Mr. Hockey Star.” She stopped speaking long enough to deepen the kiss, utterly thrilled to have him in her arms - or be in his, as it were. “I haven’t taken a case since I left Neptune, so it wouldn’t really be about that. I just... I dunno, Logan. I’m worried.”

“Trust your instincts,” he whispered into her mouth. “You’re a big fluffy marshmallow, but you have the senses of a hawk, V. If you think something’s off, it’s probably because it is.”

Veronica sighed happily against his lips, glad that Logan didn’t press the issue of her safety. That had been one of her biggest bones of contention with him when they’d been together two years ago. He seemed calmer now, more sure of himself, and fuck, was it sexy. She decided to take a plunge. “Come with me?” she breathed.

“What?” Logan asked, pulling away slightly to glance down at her.

“If we need to investigate, or stake out anyone, or, hell, just snoop around in Nathan’s rooms, do it with me,” she said. “Be part of this with me. This is me, extending that trust branch you wanted. I trust you to be my second-in-command on this.”

Logan smiled, one of those bright, confident expressions that improved the mood in any room he walked into. Veronica’s attitude lifted at the knowledge that his love and care was directed  _ all _ at her. “OK, V. I can do that.”

“Good. Now... I believe I was promised some spectacular sex as a Christmas present, Logan Echolls.”

He gave her a heated glare, flipping her so she was on her back, his body poised over her. “Well, we gotta keep with the schedule, then.”

Then he kissed her.

...

Once the talking portion of their morning concluded, Logan fucked her well. It hadn’t been one of their most adventurous fuckings, but she still felt it. After the excitement of their Christmas Eve reunion, Logan wanted to have an easygoing, casual sexathon for the the main holiday. He leisurely stroked into her until she came around the condom, then slid in and out of her at a steady rhythm until the pressure built up for him.

It was simple and pleasurable in a more mundane way than she was used to when it came to them, yet magnificent in its own way. After years of passionate lovemaking, a morning of slow, unhurried sex suited her perfectly. Especially on Christmas.

Plus, as she was putting her knickers and long jeans on to get ready to go, Logan’s whispered promises of time spent tasting every inch of her reignited the heat between her thighs. The whole thing had still left her feeling it, though, especially when combined with their full day of fucking the day before.

Once they were ready, she called a cab and she and Logan headed out for Nathan’s place. The right was just short enough for her to get lost in her memories of their morning again.

When they arrived, she waved the cab away and knocked on Nathan’s door, hoping she didn’t look like the picture of a freshly fucked future lawyer.

“Welcome back, you two. And Merry Christmas,” Nathan said, stepping aside to let them in. “Wallace is in his room. I’ll go let him you’re both here.”

“Thanks, Mr. Woods,” Logan said, politely.

They followed Wallace’s dad into the main part of the house, Veronica immediately tugging Logan behind her toward her room. “C’mon, Lo. I want to give you your gift without an audience.” They had made it almost to her door before he stopped them.

“Veronica, I’m not sure if that’s such a good idea,” Logan stressed.

“Why?”

“You got me a gift when we weren’t even dating,” he started, only to be cut off.

“I certainly knew I wanted to be dating you again, Logan.” She’d added him to her list the day after he’d called the status of their relationship a stalemate. She sure as fuck hadn’t expected all of this between then and Christmas, though.

“Rude,” he admonished with a soft smile, carefully placing his hand to her cheek. “If you’ll let me continue?” He paused, checking with her. “As I was saying, you got me a gift when we weren’t even dating. You cared enough then. If we open each other’s presents in the privacy of your guest bedroom, I’m going to have you laid out on the sheets before you can say ‘bobcat,’ and I’d be fucking the hell out of you for the rest of our visit.”

“Oh,” Veronica said, blushing. What else was there to say to that? She’d almost forgotten how fucking sexy Logan talked when they were alone together. It was no wonder they’d had such explosive sexual chemistry together.

“Right. We should open our gifts with Wallace. Plus, we both have presents for Wallace,” he reasoned.

“Fine. You’re such a spoilsport. What if I’d  _ wanted _ you banging me into the bed, Echolls? Didn’t think of that, didya?” she teased, running away right after she finished. She was well aware Logan’s eyes barely strayed from the sway of her ass as she did so. 

...

“Open mine first, Veronica,” Wallace complained from his seat on the armchair. “It’s not fair, man. I invite you to Chicago, but Logan gets to give you the first present.”

“Fine, dude,” she said, chuckling, leaning into Logan’s shoulder. They’d snagged the couch, intent on snuggling together during the gift giving portion of the afternoon. “I’ll just save the best for last anyway.”

“You walked right into that one,” Logan said.

Wallace grumbled good-naturedly, handing Veronica a small package wrapped in red and white paper, the tableau completed by a blue ribbon holding it all together. 

Veronica immediately tore into the paper, discovering a large black case that looked suspicious, like it held a gem of a gift. “You know I’m dating your friend, right?” she joked.

She and Wallace didn’t do sentimental shit, except... Hadn’t she picked out his gift with maximum emotional investment in mind? Veronica opened the container, tears springing to her eyes when she noticed it  _ wasn’t _ jewelry. It was even better.

Wallace had come to visit her in Stanford one time, and they’d made an excursion to the bay area for a day trip. They’d taken in every attraction they could think of. Veronica remembered snapping the picture - or, more accurately, asking a passerby to do so - but hadn’t thought of that day often since sending Wallace a copy of the photo. It was bittersweet in her mind, a reminder that she didn’t see her friends often enough.

Now, though, staring at the small custom-made frame, marshmallows dotting the wooden edges, she relished the pure joy she saw in their expressions.

“I love it, Wallace,” Veronica said, reaching forward to hug him. “Here, open mine now!” She handed him a much smaller package. Try as she might, Veronica couldn’t justify burning a perfectly good box for the size of her present.

Wallace’s eyes lit up when he saw the contents inside the wrapping paper. “Seriously?” he asked, turning toward V. 

“You betcha, buddy. I wanted to get a Jordan card, but damn, those are super expensive. My dad’s got some contacts, so I was able to get Pippen to autograph one. All I needed to do was track down the guy while we were at the mall the other day, when you left me alone for a minute.” She’d struggled for so long wondering what to get Wallace, but suddenly it’d just come to her. He  _ loved  _ basketball, and every young NBA fan with ties to Chicago liked Pippen and Jordan. It was perfect, and showed thought, which Wallace deserved.

“You should get a plastic frame for that, Wallace,” his dad spoke up, startling Veronica. She’d forgotten the other man was even with them. 

She considered Nathan fully for the first time. Veronica felt guilty about potentially investigating Wallace’s father on Christmas, but the urge to learn more about this man was overwhelming. He’d carefully left out parts of his past, and dammit, Wallace was basically everything to her. She needed to know.

“Hey Sugarpuss, I think it’s my time to get a gift,” Logan said, smiling, interrupting her musings. He held out his hands expectantly, and Veronica couldn’t resist leaning down and giving his palm a wet kiss.

“So gross,” Wallace bemoaned. “Here, Logan. You can open mine. Just, please, stop doing that, V.”

Logan took the offered package greedily, tearing into it like... well, like a little kid on Christmas. Veronica smiled sadly at the sight, wondering if this was Logan’s first experience with such a phenomenon. Aaron was such a piece of shit that he didn’t warrant any more thought, but Lynn hadn’t been the best mother, either... The possibility made her heart ache, and she squeezed his arm tightly as he fished out Wallace’s present.

Veronica remembered Wallace telling her about what he’d gotten her now-boyfriend a few days ago, but the sight of Logan’s little makeshift family - without her in it - still shook her to her core.

“Wallace, man, this is amazing,” Logan told him, growing misty-eyed. “How did you get this picture?”

“It’s on Parker’s camera. I just sent her a text.”

Veronica knew she no longer had a reason to be jealous of Parker - if she’d ever had one, honestly - but this was different. She regretted missing such an important moment of her love’s life. And she’d have to miss more once her break ended. She glanced down at Logan, suddenly hoping her gift spoke volumes about her feelings for Logan. She’d searched far and wide for something that said ‘I love you and I trust you with my heart now’, and had to hope her final choice fit the sentiment.

“I guess it’s my turn to give you one, Wallace,” Logan said. He handed him a larger package that Veronica guessed held clothing. As her best friend began to peel away the wrapping paper, Logan continued. “I didn’t know what I was gonna get you until I saw you eying those Wolves jerseys the day I got hurt. I had Steve drop it off.”

“Damn, man! This is awesome,” Wallace praised, holding the shirsey up so Veronica and his dad could see the gold-lettered ‘Fennel’ etched on the back, above the number 23 - Jordan’s number. “It’s great, Logan.”

Veronica leaned in and kissed Logan’s cheek, whispering in his ear. “Flattering my best friend will get you laid every time, dude.”

Logan turned and captured her lips with his own, his eyes twinkling. “Is that so?”

“It is,” Veronica sighed, wishing they were alone already. “I guess it’s just us now.”

“Let me go first, V.” 

Veronica noticed Nathan leaving out of the corner of her eye, apparently done with the situation now that Wallace had gotten and given his gifts. “OK, Logan.”

“I saw this in the mall the other day and thought it suited you perfectly. I love you, and I’m so happy random-ass fate brought us back together right now. I know shit isn’t gonna be easy for us, but I think we can make it.”

Veronica laughed and cried simultaneously at such a Logan-esque speech. “You’re such a sap, Echolls.”

“Guilty.”

“Well, c’mon. Don’t keep me waiting. Gimme your gift,” Veronica told him.

When he handed it over, Veronica eagerly tore open the packaging. She found a simple black box underneath the paper, and opened it immediately. 

She gasped, taking in the beauty of the necklace. The silver heart shaped like her initial caught her attention first. “It’s beautiful, Logan.”

“Nice work, man,” Wallace added, but Veronica had her gaze focused on Logan alone.

“Look at the inside,” he said, eagerly.

She did, finding the word ‘love’ inscribed on the heart. Veronica glanced at him, frowning. “I mean, I know that’s a great word to have on the necklace, but am I missing something? I don’t get why you’re so eager. You’ve told me you love me hundreds of times now.” She winced as she said it, feeling it sounded callous.

“L, O for Logan. V, E for Veronica. The first two letters of our names spell ‘love’,” Logan explained, his expression mirthful. 

_ Wow _ . Veronica had never put together that connection, and honestly wondered how he  _ had _ . It was such a strange thing to think about. It sounded like the thing fans of a TV show would do, like  _ Buffy  _ fans combining the names of the characters in their favorite relationships. 

Still, though... “It’s perfect, Logan. I’d have never put that together, but it fits us so well. I love you, Logan,” she told him, gingerly kissing him.

_ Argh _ . Now it was time for her present. She’d worried for so long about what to get a man who had so many things and yet still had an empty childhood. She’d considered it all, from a Lynn-specific memento to tracking down Duncan for a Christmas message to everything in between. In the end, she came back to the idea she’d originally had with Wallace. The local bookstore had a fine collection that suited her wish list.

She handed the rectangular present to Logan, her neatly-prepared wrapping job earning a smile.

He took similar care in undoing the tape, leaving the paper intact. Veronica brightened at the country-large smile that took over Logan’s face.

“It’s like you know me, V,” he laughed, holding up the brand new copy of  _ Couples in Love: 101 Inspirational Quotes From Relationships _ , the best book she could that combined their strange relationship and his love for literature and quotes. 

“I know, man. I went with her to get it,” Wallace said when Logan turned it to him, shaking his head in amusement.

“It felt very ‘you’, Logan,” she admitted. 

Logan leaned down and kissed her, pouring all his emotion into it. “I love you, Veronica.”

She smiled at him. He liked the gift. “I love you too, Logan.”

“Y’all’s happiness makes me sick. Stop being so gross.” They both playfully stuck their tongues out at Wallace. “On that note, I’m going to go get ready for Christmas dinner now.”

Veronica to glance at the clock. 2:30. Where the hell had the morning gone? “What time did Nathan say we were leaving?” Despite her pause, Nathan had insisted they both come with he and Wallace for their holiday dinner, and she had tentatively accepted. 

“The reservation is at 6:00. I’m gonna get ready early just so I don’t have to worry. You two enjoy the quiet. And, for the love of God, don’t have sex on the sofa, please. I don’t want to have to have the stupid thing professionally scrubbed.”

He ducked out of the room after that parting shot, his laughter echoing in his wake. 

Veronica giggled at the put-out frown on Logan’s face.

“What?” he asked. “We wouldn’t do that to him.”

“Logan, be real. We almost banged on his kitchen table like two days ago.”

“Ah, yeah. Good point.” He chuckled, then paused to look pensive when they heard the showers in both upstairs bedrooms go off. “If you wanted to snoop, now’s your chance.”

Veronica hesitated. It was one thing to hypothetically check up on your best friend’s father, but another thing entirely to actually search his stuff. The only time in her long friendship with Wallace that she’d actually been afraid they might friend break up was after he’d found out his mom lied to him about Nathan and he went to Chicago.

Her own father’s deception in investigating Nathan had led to the downfall of Keith’s relationship with Alicia, too.

So, yeah, she hesitated, and had good reason to, but... “Let’s hurry and get it over with. Something is just nagging at my brain.”

Logan agreed, holding out a hand to her. She threaded her fingers through his, relishing the simple act of intimacy with her boyfriend. It still shocked her that she could  _ finally _ call Logan that again.

They quietly walked toward the corner office, down the hallway where her guest bedroom resided. She had not been in this room yet, but from what Wallace told her, it was a work study. In her experience, men with secrets oftentimes hid clues in the rooms their family and spouses were least likely to check. Where was better than a room devoted to your work?

Veronica tried the knob, pleasantly surprised to find it unlocked. She’d figured for sure that she’d have to pick the lock. The door cracked open, the inside of the room lighting up. The sudden brightness startled them, if only because of the fear they’d been discovered snooping. Logan quickly realized the room must’ve been motion-sensored, pointing at something above them.

“What are we looking for, V?” Logan asked her. “I’m a bit out of practice here.”

“Anything that can tell us more about what Nathan was up to in between Alicia getting pregnant and my dad and her going to Chicago on vacation. And don’t worry, I’m out of practice too.”

Logan snorted. “Veronica, you’re basically a teenage prodigy. If Lamb hadn’t been an ass, he would’ve recruited you as a junior detective considering how impressive your investigative skills are,” he praised her. 

Veronica had never really thought about what life would’ve been like had, say, Sacks taken over as Sheriff of Neptune. “Maybe.”

Veronica thumbed through a neatly organized stack of papers on the lone desk in the room, finding nothing out of the ordinary. She wanted some sort of quick proof that he was up to no good: a money shot, or at least a money trail.

Logan reached up onto the dusty shelves, and Veronica almost told him to forget it. If enough time had passed that dust had accumulated, Nathan clearly wasn’t hiding anything recent up there. She let it go, though, in case her intuition was rusty.

She tried each of the drawers attached to the desk, finding that only one didn’t require a key to open. The contents of that one disappointed her; Nathan kept stationary, pens, pencils, rulers and the like stacked up neatly, each specific item grouped with like ones.

The entire situation was turning out to be a false start. Was she  _ so _ out of practice that her mind was playing tricks on her? If Wallace could see her now, digging through his father’s work folders, he’d surely kick her out. 

On Christmas.

A fresh wave of guilt assaulted her, and Veronica reached for Logan. “Let’s go, Logan,” she urged him. 

“OK, Bobcat,” he agreed easily. “I guess it was nothing.”

She noticed him surreptitiously pat his back pocket and wondered what that was about, but let it go. “I guess so.”

He followed her out, walking just behind her as they made their way to Veronica’s room. “What do you want to do to pass the time, Lo?” she asked, just outside the bedroom door.

He smirked. “Do you really need to ask that, Veronica?” Logan cupped her cheeks between his hands, bringing his lips down to meet hers. He pushed her up against the wall and had her moaning in no time.

When Logan shifted his attention to the nape of her neck, scraping his blunt teeth sexily against her skin, she pulled away abruptly before they shed their clothes right there in the hallway.

“Bedroom. Now.”

Logan was all too happy to oblige, pushing the door open while keeping his eyes on her. He fell back onto the bed, the back of his head hitting the pillows near the headboard.

“Ready for that Christmas excitement, Echolls?” she asked him, splaying her hands flat against his chest. She fumbled with his shirt, struggling to pull it up over his muscles.

“Ready when you are, Mars.” Logan gazed at her from under lust-hooded eyes, the general happiness in his expression impossible to miss.

Veronica lifted her own shirt up and over her head, moving to straddle Logan’s hips, then leaned forward, pressing her tits against his now-naked chest so he could unclasp her bra. She quickly leaned down to kiss him gently on the lips, then scooted up so her clothed pussy made contact with his face.

She lifted up to her knees, then shimmied out of her pants and knickers, helping Logan to do the same. When she returned to her perch above his face, she angled herself down his body.

As Veronica settled herself onto Logan’s face, she leaned over, running her tongue down the underside of his cock. The quick, breathless gasps her ministrations elicited encouraged Veronica to push further. She stretched her mouth and tried to take more of Logan past her lips, enjoying the feeling of the love of her life in her mouth. 

It made it even better that the entire time she was enjoying going down on  _ him _ , Logan was licking the inside of her vagina, extending his tongue to reach further into her. He did a little thing with the wet muscle that positively delighted Veronica, touching nerve endings she didn’t even know her pussy had. 

In no time at all, their combined efforts culminated in a race toward orgasm. Logan sped up his licking, so Veronica decided she would go first and sat up fully, pressing her ass down against his face. Logan groaned at the loss of her lips wrapped around his cock, but continued fervently exploring her. She grinned happily, all too eager to take control in the bedroom. 

Some nights, she let Logan lead. Those were most frequently the nights she ended up on her hands and knees, an eager teenage Logan sliding his cock into her from behind, sometimes in her pussy, other times in her ass. He loved how hot she looked with her ass perched in the air, and she loved the powerful feeling of making such a confident young man go weak at the knees with just a crook of her finger.

Other times, like right then, Veronica took charge. She loved when Logan surrendered himself fully to her dominance. They were two halves of a whole in the bedroom, perfect complements. 

Veronica allowed all philosophical thoughts to vacate her mind as Logan’s talented tongue brought her to yet another bone-melting orgasm. She shuddered, coming undone all over him. In the aftermath, Logan continued gently licking at the her outer lips, and Veronica was all too happy to stay seated and sated atop him.

She eventually leaned over and lifted her hips off his slick face. She took the head of his cock between her teeth, sucking him into her mouth. He was quickly on the edge again, so Veronica relaxed her throat and pushed herself down to the base of his dick, swallowing around him as she went. He was too big to fit it fully inside her, but her ministrations brought him over the edge the same.

Veronica swallowed his cum, tucking her hair out of the way as she did so. 

Both of them spent, Veronica got off Logan’s naked body and turned around, sidling up to his side instead. “Mmm. Happy?”

“Always, Bobcat,” Logan told her, grinning.

“I barely even want to go to dinner. You exhausted me, Lo,” she said with a laugh.

“We need to, though.”

Veronica didn’t know if she agreed with that. Her Christmas had been close to perfect. Nathan hadn’t given her a reason to further doubt him. She’d woken up next to the love of her life, spent the day with him, and got a gorgeous gift she planned to wear every day from him. “Maybe. I want to call people first. Mac and my dad, at least. Weevil, though I may just text him.”

Logan nodded. “Then we can rest, and we’ll get ready, right?”

She rolled her eyes.

...

Mac sat on her parents’ couch, watching Ryan greedily tear through a mountain of red and green wrapping paper to get to his destination. She laughed, enjoying the utter silliness. They’d started their annual gift-opening free-for-all tradition later than usual this year, because her uncles, aunts and cousins came over for brunch and stayed most of the afternoon.

Without Veronica, Logan, and Wallace, Neptune was boring for the holidays, and Mac really missed her friends. Even Parker and Piz had left, the former visiting her parents in Colorado. So, she hadn’t minded the company, though she wanted to hole herself up in her room and play with her shiny new toys.

Her parents had come through clutch this year, getting her an upgraded hard drive for her laptop, brand new headphones, the newest Nintendo DS model, and a few games for it. She planned to go download some new programming language software with the additional space.

When Mac’s phone lit up, she glanced at the caller ID, happy. She excused herself, quietly shutting her bedroom door behind her. Since she’d gone first, she didn’t have any more presents to open.

“Hey, Bond,” she greeted her best friend.

“Merry Christmas, Q.,” Veronica’s friendly voice intoned. Damn, it was good to hear from her. When was the last time they’d talked?

“Merry Christmas, yourself. How’s Chicago, Veronica?” Mac asked. 

Wallace had texted her, letting her know about some of the Logan-related developments. Goddamn, she was happy they’d probably finally stop playing this stupid song and dance. “See anyone you know?”

“Did you know he was moving here, Mac?” she asked.

“No-o. I knew he was playing hockey. If someone had ever, you know, wanted to hear about him, I would’ve told you.” Mac wasn’t above laying the blame squarely on Veronica’s shoulders. She heard her friend sigh through the phone.

“Yeah,” Veronica said glumly. “I’m getting that.”

“So, tell me what’s happening in the wonderfully mysterious life of Veronica Mars, Bond. Are you and Logan back together?” Mac wanted to know all of the details. 

Back when Veronica had gotten together with Duncan the second time, they hadn’t been  _ quite _ close enough for late night gossip seshes. By the time they finally were in each other’s inner circles, Duncan was on the lamb, and her friend was beginning the second act of her perpetual dance around Logan Echolls. 

Dammit, she wanted the juicy details!

“We are,” Veronica confirmed.

When she added no more information, Mac prodded. “And? Gimme something to work with here, girl.”

Veronica just laughed. “He’s still amazing, Mac. It’s still just as intense as it ever was. He’s just as loving and tender, just as passionate. The protectiveness that made me wary is now kinda sexy, plus he’s toned it down. He matured, Mac. He grew up and I wasn’t there to see it.”

Mac softened. “He had to. I’m sorry I never told you how bad it got for him. I wanted to. Fuck, I really wanted to, Veronica. You’d insisted his name be treated like Voldemort, though.” Still, Mac felt guilty that she’d never pressed Veronica on that decision. “I’m proud of him. And you, for working through your issues. This doesn’t sound like it’s something you’re afraid of anymore,” she broached carefully.

“We’re being adults about it. Realistic. But, yeah, we both want this to last. Speaaaaaking of that, Mac. The last few days have been a whirlwind, so I’m sorry it’s taken me a few days to ask, but...” Veronica paused, taking a breath. “Logan and I want to be able to both come to you, since you care about each of us. We need someone to remind  _ both  _ of us, that, hey, even if we’re at each other’s throat, we love each other. Hopefully, later, we won’t need you to step in and yell, but we both agreed you and Wallace would be perfect for us to be able to talk to.”

Mac thought about what that would entail. She doubted they’d be coming with ‘who ate the last oreo’ fights, and she didn’t really want to be in the middle of a classic Veronica-Logan blowout screaming match... But, she also wanted to help prevent that. She loved Veronica, and Logan had grown on her tremendously. She hadn’t been lying that she was proud of him. “Fine, you both can call me when you need to talk something out. Let’s try not to make that too often, though, yeah?”

She laughed. “I hope so, Q.”

“I’m happy for you, Bond. You deserve it. You deserve it with  _ him _ .”

Mac could practically feel the wide smile she knew Veronica had on her face. She also knew Veronica would rebel against it, so when she changed the subject, it didn’t surprise her.

“How’s Neptune this fine holiday season?”

“Oh, Veronica! You’ll never guess who I saw Dick on a date with.”

“Ooh. Let me guess. Carrie Bishop! No, wait. Susan Knight!”

Mac frowned. “Tell Logan I hate him. You’re no fun.”

She just laughed. “I’ll tell him you said Merry Christmas.”

“Fine. Do that.”

She carried on for another fifteen minutes, listening to stories about Logan’s hockey injury. They made promises to exchange Christmas gifts with each other as soon as they saw one another.

It felt great to talk to Veronica again.

_ Like I said, it’s a great Christmas. _

  
  


...

  
  


“Hi, Dad. Merry Christmas!” Veronica said happily once her father picked up. She could hear Alicia in the background this time and smiled. It was weird to think of them back together, and she hadn’t heard Alicia last time she called.

“Hi, honey. Let me put you on speaker phone so Alicia can say hi, too,” he said.

“Sure. I’ll do the same. Logan’s here.” She clicked the needed button and pulled the phone away from her ear so her boyfriend could hear everything.

“I guess you two are back together, then?” he asked.

“Hey, Mr. Mars,” Logan said.

“I’ve told you ‘Keith’ is fine. Just because you’re dating Veronica again, doesn’t mean we need to go back to being formal.”

Logan laughed. “Fine. Keith it is. Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas, you two!” Alicia yelled through the phone. Veronica guessed she wasn’t sitting right next to her dad - or she just didn’t realize how loud that’d be.

“How are you enjoying the day, Dad?” Veronica asked. 

“It’s good. I’m looking forward to getting home soon, but I want to savor the rest of this vacation first.”

They exchanged small talk for the rest of their call. Veronica was looking forward to the chance to talk to Alicia about boy problems again the next time she went to Neptune. For the last eighteen months, she never had any new dating news to pass along to Wallace’s mom, even before she’d recently gotten back together with Veronica’s dad.

Once she wrapped up the talk with her dad and fired off a text to Weevil, wishing him happy holidays, she settled into Logan’s embrace.

“OK, Logan. We’ll go with Wallace and his dad. Just let me enjoy a little nap. All this holiday cheer has me too tired to function.”

Logan kissed the top of her head. “Merry Christmas, Veronica.”

“Merry Christmas, Logan. I love you.”

“I love you too, Veronica.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I probably didn't make it clear enough earlier, but Keith and Alicia were together with each other his entire vacation; I left it ambiguous from V's POV the first few times she thought of her dad, and he didn't mention it when they were both worried about Logan; I decided to make the reveal from Keith's POV to give it meaning. I also struggled with what V could get Logan, and decided my first idea back in Chapter 8 held the most meaning for their relationship + something she knows he likes. Hope you liked that choice.


	16. Striking Out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you as always to CubbieGirl1723 for beta-reading .

_ December 26, 2008 _

Waking up for the second day in a row in Logan’s arms immediately improved Veronica’s morning mood. She shifted slightly, playing with his knuckles clasped around her waist.

He was still sleeping, so Veronica let her thoughts drift to their dinner the night before with Nathan and Wallace. It’d gone pleasantly well. Overall, Veronica really enjoyed her Christmas.

Veronica hadn’t ever really enjoyed a Christmas with a boyfriend since the first year with Duncan. They’d been broken up after Lilly’s death, and she was single the year Aaron got stabbed. She’d gotten called to Jury Duty during her second, ill-fated relationship with Duncan, and then Logan broke up with her before Christmas her freshman year at Hearst.

It was a welcome feeling, one she’d missed. She got to open up her life to Logan and spend a freaking holiday with him. Her circle had slowly expanded over time without realizing it.

_ Oh, God... Am I going to have to get Dick a gift next year? _ Veronica thought in a slight panic. She’d come to terms that a life with Logan might mean never permanently leaving Dick Casablancas in the past. But the idea of figuring out what went on in that waste of space he called a brain in order to pick out a gift for him terrified her.

Veronica suddenly felt Logan stirring around her, his arms shifting as his soft breathing reached her ear. She rolled over to face him, spurring him the rest of the way awake. “Good morning.”

“Hey,” Logan said, yawning. “What’s on the schedule for today?”

“I actually don’t have many plans. Want to see if Wallace wants to tour Chicago?”

“Sure,” Logan said. He untangled their limbs, stretching out his arms, then glanced at the clock. “Why don’t you go see if he’s awake? It’s after nine, so he might be.”

Veronica reached over to give her boyfriend - that thought delighted her more each time it emerged - a kiss. He reciprocated passionately, deepening it.

When she pulled away a few seconds later, she knew her face was flushed, her lips slightly swollen. Veronica glanced down at Logan’s mouth, then his naked chest, then to the bulge clearly visible through his sweatpants. She smirked. “Down, boy. We can play later.”

Logan just gave a theatrical sigh, plopping onto the pillow. “Sure, sure. Tease the guy with the raging boner, why don’t you.”

Veronica laughed, walking toward the bathroom to get ready. She stopped at her suitcase en route, grabbing one of her lighter blue pairs of pajama pants and a black tee shirt. She brushed her teeth quickly, put her hair into curls with her curling iron, checked herself in the mirror, then exited the bathroom to go find Wallace.

When she passed by Logan, he’d tossed the blanket aside, leisurely lounging on the mattress, his hands folded behind his head. He’d adopted a cocky pose, taunting Veronica for her refusal to have sex with him first thing in the morning.

She shook her head, chuckled, and slipped out of the bedroom. 

Veronica found Wallace in the room they’d opened presents in, sitting on the couch with his cell between his hands. “Oh, hey, Veronica,” he greeted her, briefly looking up from the phone. 

“Wallace. Everything OK?”

“Yeah.” He frowned. “Piz wants to hang out before he goes. Apologize for making things awkward or something.”

Veronica really hated taking the high road, but... “I was going to ask you if you wanted to go tour Chicago with Logan and I. See if Piz wants to come. I’ll play nice, and make sure Logan does, too,” she offered.

Wallace hesitated still. “I dunno, Supafly. I may be Team Logan, but I don’t wanna rub it in the poor guy’s face.”

She just laughed. “He didn’t care about flaunting me in front of Logan every chance he got. I don’t really want to lose the friendship if he apologizes and doesn’t insult Logan, but he’s going to have to actually care enough to do that.

“OK. I’ll text him. Thanks, Veronica. I know he was being a jerk, and I know you don’t like him like that, but... Thanks. For trying, for me.” Wallace got up and impulsively hugged her. “It sucked being in the middle of that shit.”

“Be in the middle any time, Wally. Just make sure you choose my side if forced,” she said, laughing loudly when he turned to look at her in shock. “Just joking! Let me go tell Grumpy the good news.”

“I’ll text Mopey.”

Veronica chuckled all the way back to her bedroom, then grew anxious the closer she got. Logan might love her, but she was going to have to soothe his feelings a bit. He’d clearly been looking forward to an afternoon hanging out with two of his best friends - not them and the ex she wasn’t too happy with these days. 

“What’d he say?” Logan immediately asked her when she opened the door.

“He agreed.” She hesitated, looked away, then continued. “Piz is coming, too, I think.”

The longer the silence stretched, the more Veronica wanted to curl up into his arms and rewind to before she went and found Wallace. 

Eventually, she faced the music. “You mad?”

Logan sighed. “No. Not mad. Is this how I wanted to spend what might be my last day before going back to the team? Nah, not really. But I know you’re with me. You’re mine, for all intents and purposes. I don’t mean to get all macho bullshit on you, but he’s an ass. He knew you were dating me, and he pulled that bowling alley crap.”

Veronica knew that’d never sat well with Logan, but had held steadfast to the dream he’d let go of that anger, even if she really hadn’t. But she’d only realized she was mad at Piz for that recently. She slinked onto the bed, rolling so she faced Logan, straddling his hips.

She grasped Logan’s face between her hands, holding his heated gaze. “I didn’t want him then, and I don’t want him now, Logan. I love you. Only you. I was never, ever with him while we were dating. You don’t have anything to worry about, OK?”

Veronica slid herself more fully over Logan’s body, lowering herself into his lap. She sweetly kissed him, touching her forehead to his. “Logan, let’s get ready. Then we can plan out the day with Wallace and meet up with Piz.”

Logan perked up at her words, causing Veronica to run back over what she’d said.

She grinned. “Does my guy want to take a shower together?” She ran her hand over the still-hard cock hidden under his clothes, squeezing the bits she could reach. “Personally, I think that’s a great idea.”

“Little Logan definitely agrees,” he said, laughing. He reached around her and put his hands on her ass cheeks, squeezing handfuls of her jean-clad butt. Logan hugged her to his chest and stood up, walking them both toward the bathroom while she wrapped her legs around him.

As they went, Veronica struggled to yank his sweatpants down, her desire to free his confined cock warring with the logistics of pushing pants down over his hips from their tangled position.

In the end, logic won. Logan set her feet on the bathroom tile, and she immediately went to work, releasing his dick for her enjoyment. By the time Logan started the water, she’d managed to not only get herself naked, but wrap her hand around his prick.

Logan picked her back up by her ass, pinning her gently against the shower wall, suspending her between his body and the tiles. She rewrapped her legs around his waist, clutching him closer. At the same time, Logan adjusted the shower head so it pointed their way.

Veronica grinned at him, reaching around to his hair in order to pull his mouth down to hers. As the water began cascading around them, the droplets pelting their shoulders, Veronica sank onto Logan’s cock, filling herself completely.

She rose up and down leisurely, enjoying the familiarity of shower sex with Logan. He knew just how to reach the right angles inside her, drawing it out so they could help each other get clean in the dirtiest way possible. 

When Logan thrust up particularly hard, burying himself to the hilt, Veronica gasped, thinking how very wrong her boyfriend was. There was nothing little about Logan Junior. 

She giggled to herself at the joke, kissing Logan soundly when he looked at her curiously.

Then Logan moved his lips to his favorite spot on her neck, and Veronica came, sitting on his dick, the shower in the guest bathroom spraying water all over both of them.

It was the best Boxing Morning ever.

...

Wallace eyed his friend curiously. Piz was acting weird - stranger than was usual for him.

They’d decided to meet in Wrigleyville, tour some of the sports bars around there, though not Wrigley itself, and then ride in a cab together to Navy Pier, which was where they were now. 

Ever since they’d arrived, seeing Logan and Veronica all cute with their shared glances and whispered inside jokes, Piz looked positively thunderous.

Wallace sighed. He’d hoped that Piz would’ve gotten over his crush by now. Back at Hearst, he’d even acted civil toward Logan, helping the whole group keep Echolls afloat during the worst moments of his alcohol-induced freefall.

It seemed they were no closer to a resolution on the Piz front than they were two years ago, though. He’d warned his roommate to stay clear of The Logan and Veronica Show the very first week. But did anyone listen to him? Of course not.

Wallace had seen how fucking smitten Veronica’d been with Logan way before the girl herself did, but it’d taken him way too long to understand the  _ why  _ of it all.

If Veronica had never left, he wondered if he’d have become good friends with Logan Echolls at all. Would the guy have always been Veronica’s boyfriend or Veronica’s ex to him?

The thought seemed unimaginable to Wallace now, but it’d been reality just eighteen months earlier.

None of that helped Wallace deal with his roommate, though. He liked Piz, and he always would... except when it concerned Veronica.

Wallace was convinced Piz wasn’t a bad guy, that he couldn’t have let himself become so close to someone who was a crappy dude, but also knew his roommate was not as nice as he’d initially let on.

The couple on his other side chattered on as they walked around the pier, taking in the sights. Wallace was the only person in their group who’d ever been to Chicago before, so he’d taken charge.

Their cab had dropped them off on the street outside the pier, and Logan had almost immediately and very enthusiastically insisted they check out the gigantic ferris wheel.

Wallace swore his friend acted like a five-year old when he spotted the carnival ride. He didn’t really get the appeal, but then, his mom had taken him and Darrell to plenty of fairs over the years. Somehow, Wallace couldn’t envision either Lynn or Aaron Echolls bringing Logan to the local festival. It was a shame, because Logan looked like he loved the fun of it all. 

Wallace led his friends down the pier, stopping at booths to buy things or halting along the edges to gaze at the beautiful water. They had to pause a few times when Veronica whipped out her camera from her purse and snapped pictures of the Chicago skyline behind them.

It was, overall, a very enjoyable afternoon for Wallace... Except, Piz wouldn’t stop fucking sulking as if he’d lost his favorite toy. When he’d texted the guy with an invite, he’d been nervous, but once Piz said yes, Wallace expected everything to be as normal as possible.

Logan tried to hide it, but every time they both watched Piz ogle Veronica, Wallace saw Logan clench his fists, ready to blow a fuse. To Wallace’s amazement, Logan kept his anger in check well enough that no punches were thrown on the actual pier.

Seriously, what the  _ fuck _ was Piz thinking? Wallace just didn’t get it. The dude could barely tear his eyes away from Veronica’s ass. If he’d been dating V, he would’ve decked Piz, and Wallace hated violence. Given Logan’s past, Wallace was very proud of his friend.

Then, when Logan stopped off near the museum to use the bathroom, Piz turned to Veronica, and Wallace had the feeling shit was about to get  _ really _ fucking bad.

“Hey, Veronica,” Piz said to her, clearly startling her.

Veronica turned to face him, her eyes assessing. “Piz.”

“We should go see a movie tonight?”

Wallace clenched  _ his _ fists, suddenly glad Logan’s bladder hadn’t been able to wait, though he doubted Piz would’ve had the guts to ask this in the presence of the guy who’d made rearranged his face like a jigsaw puzzle. Just as he stepped forward to say something, Veronica put up a hand.

“I got this, Wallace,” she said lowly, under her breath, and suddenly Wallace had a feeling his friendship with Piz wouldn’t survive the day.

And he honestly wasn’t sure it deserved to. Fuck, he’d have to find a new roommate.

“Would that be with Logan, Piz?”

“Oh, uh, yeah, I guess he and Wallace could come,” Piz stuttered out.

Wallace turned his eyes heavenward, rolling them so high he was surprised he didn’t get the munchies. 

“Piz, did you just try to ask me out on a date?” Veronica asked sweetly.

Unlike at the hockey game last week, this wasn’t Veronica’s ‘Amber’ voice, and Wallace grinned in anticipation. This was the fierce, warrior Veronica, coiled and ready to explode. 

“I just wanted to see a movie. Don’t turn it into a big deal,” Piz protested, his voice gaining strength.

Wallace had to hand it to his roommate. You had to be a colossal moron to continuously enter the eye of this particular hurricane and expect to come out the other side unscathed. Veronica looked angrier than he’d seen her in a long time.

“Not a big deal? Not a big fucking deal? Are you kidding me? Piz, Logan and I haven’t been able to keep our hands off each other the entire afternoon. It’s  _ clear _ we’re together. I’ve kissed him multiple times, and we were holding each other both in the cab and on the pier.” She paused, her breaths coming short and often. 

This was the Veronica Mars he’d first met, the girl who defended him to hell and back.

“You know, Piz... When you first asked me to go bowling with you when I was dating Logan,” she began, ignoring Wallace’s accusing gasp, “I ignored it. I figured it’d been a misunderstanding. I don’t forget, though. That was Strike One.”

Wallace grinned, despite her wrath being directed at his ( _ soon-to-be-former _ ) roommate.

“Then, you took a couple of free passes, like the night before I threw myself at Logan after break, or at Parker’s party. We’ll call those balls. I’m sure there were three of those along the way,” she continued, barreling onward with what Wallace considered one of the weirder analogies he’d ever heard her use.

“Last week... That was your second strike. Seriously, Piz, you pissed me the fuck off with all those nasty remarks about Logan at his game. Obviously, you know where I’m going with this now. This was Strike Three, dude. You’re out of chances. Get the fuck out of my sight.” She heaved out deep breaths after she finished. 

Wallace was proud of her for standing up for Logan, even though he felt guilty about not defending his friend himself. Piz deserved everything she dished out at him, and more. Wallace wasn’t going to take his side on any of this. Veronica was his best friend, and Logan was becoming one of them. Though, he wished she’d used a better analogy!

Piz turned to go, muttering a curse under his breath, but stopped short. Wallace glanced his way to see what’d happened, stopping cold at what he saw.

Logan was standing there, his eyes ablaze with fury.  _ Oh, fuck. _

Wallace had a feeling things were about to get uglier. 

Except, Logan walked right past Piz, his only retaliation a hard bump of the shoulder, and went straight to Veronica, tenderly gripping her shoulders. “Are you OK, Bobcat?” he whispered, just within Wallace’s earshot. 

He’d always wondered about that nickname, but frankly didn’t want to think too hard about how she could’ve earned it.

“Yeah. I am, Logan. I’m sorry I ruined our afternoon on the town.”

Logan just laughed. “You did no such thing, Veronica.” 

Wallace watched Piz’s reaction to the tender, emotional scene playing out in front of them. His roommate’s eyes were serious and confused, and Wallace thought maybe he was getting the full picture.

Nobody, and nothing, would ever get between Logan and Veronica. They were made for one another. The sooner everyone around them succumbed to that reality, the better off they’d be.

Apparently satisfied his girlfriend was OK, Logan turned to Piz. “Get lost, man. I have half a mind to beat the fucking shit out of you, but I’ve worked hard to not be the man I was freshmen year at Hearst. It’s just a shame you haven’t done any growing up yourself.”

Then Logan walked away, his arm wrapped around Veronica’s waist, and Wallace had a feeling that was worse for Piz than all the punches in the world.


	17. Broken Stick

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to CubbieGirl1723 for beta-reading, as always, and for her continued enthusiasm for this story.

_ December 27, 2008 _

After the excitement with Piz the day before, Logan was happy to have a relaxing morning in his bed with Veronica. While they’d enjoyed the remainder of their afternoon with Wallace, there was an underlying tension present, probably from Wallace realizing he needed a new roommate. They’d ultimately decided to go back to Logan’s hotel room, partially because of that, but more to give Wallace some alone time with his dad.

Logan was just happy Veronica’s best friend had her back, not making a single motion to defend Piz.

After Veronica had woken up before him the last two mornings, Logan was more than happy to tease her in her sleep. He began to lightly tickle her sides, giggling playfully when she rolled over, talking unintelligibly.

He knew then she was awake already, but had decided to steadfastly ignore him until he stopped tickling her. Logan was fine with that; he pulled her against him, nestling his raging hard dick in between her ass cheeks. 

While Veronica’s beauty wasn’t what attracted him the most, she was still drop-dead gorgeous and incredibly hot. Logan loved that he was the only person she’d given her ass to. Without needing to ask, he knew that was still true. He pressed himself against her back more firmly, bringing his lips near her ear. “Morning, Veronica.”

She giggled. “That feels big.”

“Always.” He pulled her closer, snuggling with her. “I don’t want to go back to work today. This has been perfect.”

Veronica smiled up at him. She was going to come to the game with Wallace and Nathan, all three of them agreeing it would be a fun family activity since Wallace’s father had the night off. 

Logan couldn’t believe his four days out after the injury scare were already over. He felt fine physically, and was ecstatic to get back on the ice, but would miss his girlfriend.

At least, this time, when laced up, he had an evening with Veronica to look forward to afterward.

With that thought in mind, Logan reached around his girlfriend, lightly palming her cheek, turning her to him. He kissed her hello, then got out of bed. He wanted to go on a run with her, if she was open to that. They could do a few miles, then go their separate ways for the rest of the afternoon. Steve wanted to get food before the game, and Veronica had promised Wallace some solo best friend time.

“How weird is it that I don’t want you to go, Lo?” she asked from the bed, squinting her eyes. “The last time you were on the ice, you almost got a concussion.”

“It’s normal, Veronica.” Logan stopped getting dressed. He knelt in front of her, his pants clumsily half-pulled up. “I’m going to be fine, though. I know what I’m doing. I’ll be more careful. After all,” he added, pausing to dip in for a kiss, “I’ve got a Veronica to come home to now.”

“Oh, just ‘a’ Veronica, huh. Is there a support group for all the other - ahh!” she shrieked.

Logan playfully pinned her to the bed, tickling her sides until she yelled, “Fine!”

He smiled, frankly amazed they’d gone from making each other jealous to  _ this _ , in just a week. Logan sighed when he caught sight of the time out of the corner of his eye. “I really do need to get ready.”

“No shower sex?” Veronica asked.

“Not today,” he laughed. “Let’s do that again soon, though.”

Veronica sat up and climbed out of the bed, squeezing her way around his body. “Fine, Lo. Let’s go be adults.”

Logan grinned. Being an adult with Veronica. He could get used to that.

...

Logan was fucking thrilled to be back on the ice. For someone he’d known less than two weeks, Steve seemed delighted for him to be back with the team, and Coach Dave was quite happy as well.

The team had lost two games in his absence, which Logan figured was part of the reason for their excitement. Though he tried to keep his ego in check more these days, he knew he was among the best players on the team - neither Steve nor Alexei had a point without him there.

In fact, he wouldn’t be surprised if his coach elevated him to the first line soon. He wanted to stay with his new friends, though. They meshed so well.

Skating in practice, Logan spotted Veronica, Wallace and Nathan in the stands already. They only had half an hour until game time, so their shifts had increased in intensity.

Logan rolled his shoulders to get loose, taking a lap around the goal. Coach Dave insisted that each of them attempt a breakaway before exiting the ice for final preparations. Logan tried hard every game to score this final practice shot on his first try, but their goalie was good.

He skated slowly across the ice, zigzagging an approach to their goalie, Sergei. He slid the puck to his backhand and feinted, trying to elevate over Sergei’s left shoulder. As soon he noticed the first change in his teammate’s body, indicating he had committed to guarding the top shelf, Logan shifted his arms, skirting the stick along the top of the puck. His new trajectory kept the puck low to the ice, sliding through Sergei’s legs.

He grinned in satisfaction, turning to catch Veronica’s eye. She was giving him a wide smile, knocking Wallace on the shoulder. He could read the ‘Did you see that, dude?’ on her lips, and smirked.

When the game started, Logan put all his effort into keeping his thoughts away from Veronica. Now that they’d gotten back together, his vivid fantasies of fucking her hard against the silver benches had returned with a vengeance. Except, now, he could actually search his recent memories and  _ know _ how she sounded when she came undone under him. It made concentrating on the action on the ice difficult.

His teammates picked up the slack; Sergei stopped every shot on the penalty kill after one of their defensemen - Rich, the leader of their second pairing - committed a slash. And their opponents were a well-oiled machine, firing off six shots during the two minute power play. 

Just after the teams returned to five on five hockey, Logan took a puck to the ribs, buckling to the ground momentarily after the impact.  _ Fuck, that one hurt _ . He quickly got up and heaved out a breath, winded. He needed to stay on his toes if they were going to keep the game scoreless.

He spied Veronica yelling at the other team for hurting him and chuckled internally. Only his glorious warrior princess would take on a team of sort-of-armed, padded adult men because they had the audacity to do their job. 

Logan winced when the opposing forward wound up for another long-range shot. He was the only Wolf between the dude and Chicago’s goal, so it was up to him to throw himself in the firing lane. 

He kept his eye on the other forwards, one of whom was camping behind the net, the other shielding Sergei from a clean line of sight. When the point person passed the puck instead of shooting, Logan stretched his stick across the ice, barely tipping the puck wide of its intended target.

The problem was, one of his teammates had the same idea, and since Logan had needed to lunge, his stick was vulnerable; Steve accidentally snapped Logan’s stick, and since they’d  _ just _ taken the ice, he’d need to go without his broken stick until he could get off for a line change.

He surveyed the situation, but, fuck, it didn’t look great. Alexei and Steve were less physical on the ice, and they had one of their worst defensive pairings on the ice; Rich was still winded, and a bad defender to begin with, in the lineup more for his strong power play skill and presence in front of the net on the offensive end. 

Logan needed to take control; normally, he’d try to intercept a pass and clear the puck, even if it required an icing call. Now, though, he wanted to inadvertently deflect it off goal and give Steve a chance to clear it.

So, when that pesky asshole on the other team swung his stick back like a pendulum, Logan stood his ground and lowered his shoulder, intending to take one off the side to save the goal. 

He’d been so wrapped up inside his own mind, running through his options, that he missed the side check from an opposing defenseman moments before the shot. As the puck sailed over his shoulder, Logan winced. He’d fucked up, and it led directly to a goal. Sergei was good, but that was a professional snipe of a shot. 

The goal allowed the Wolves to finally get their exhausted lines off the ice, but Logan didn’t give a fuck. He’d messed up, and his team was worse for it.

...

Veronica watched from the stands, concerned. After the Wolves gave up that go-ahead, first goal of the game, Logan appeared to retreat inside his mind.

He looked more like the Logan who let every bad thing bury him emotionally than the proud, strong man who’d taken the high road with Piz. She didn’t think they were in any danger of seeing him spiral even a little bit - and she was very happy to hear Wallace agree with her there - but also knew Logan was going to need some girlfriend comfort afterwards.

She’d been somewhat hesitant to invite Wallace and his dad to the game after investigating Nathan on Christmas, but the lack of evidence -  _ don’t forget to ask Logan about whatever he put in his pocket, Veronica!  _ \- settled her nerves. Maybe he was just a decent guy and she was out of practice. She ignored the part of her conscience that pointed out Logan had found the situation weird, too.

The game clock read six minutes left in the third period, so Veronica settled herself in to watch Chicago’s final push. Logan was on the ice, following several minutes catching his breath on the bench.

God, that boy was pretty. He carried himself so confidently, and the changes in him since Hearst just made him sexier by the day. And he still fucked like a man possessed by her charms. Veronica smiled as Logan got control of the puck. She recognized Steve now, after the hospital situation, and liked how well they worked together. Logan needed more people in his corner. So did she.

When Steve rocketed the puck around the boards and Logan met a big, burly player from the other team with a shoulder check, she held her breath.

Would she do that every single time her boyfriend got into a battle along the glass? Hockey was such a physical game. She needed to shake herself of this fear that Logan would break.

Aaron Fucking Echolls couldn’t do that to him, so a group of hockey shmucks wouldn’t manage it, either. Lo and behold, Logan emerged victorious, skating the puck out to center ice. He carried it into the offensive zone, then dropped it back in his wake. Veronica noticed both Alexei and Steve striding up the ice but focused on Logan slipping behind the net. If one of his teammates dumped it along the boards, he’d be in perfect position to pass it in front of the net and hope.

She glanced at the clock. Three minutes. If they lost, Logan was going to be so fucking upset that a temporary lapse in focus had led to the broken stick goal. She really hoped they managed to pull it out of their asses so she could focus on Logan putting something in hers instead. That sounded like much more fun.

Steve had apparently gotten the puck during her mental vacation. She saw him locate Logan with his eyes and make to swing it around to her boyfriend, but the opposing forwards swarmed Logan’s area, closing off that lane.

Veronica split her attention between Logan and Chicago’s goalie when the clock ticked under two to go. Wasn’t Sergei going to go to the bench? Coach Dave didn’t appear to be in any rush, which was weird. Veronica understood it was a minor league match, but what kind of coach didn’t push his players to win at all costs? Though, she supposed the Wolves didn’t have full control of the zone yet. Steve was still dancing around the edges of it.

When Alexei cut in front of someone, Steve fired it across to Rich, who immediately launched a quick turnaround slapshot on goal. 

Veronica nearly cheered, thinking it’d gone in instead of behind the net.

Wallace did cheer, only to slink down in shame.

Then Veronica’s attention focused in on Logan fighting for the puck.

Thirty seconds. 

Fucking  _ finally _ , Sergei shuffled off the ice, replaced by the extra attacker.  _ What the hell was the coach waiting for? _

Veronica was tempted to ask the idiot postgame. If she had to comfort Logan because his asshole of a coach -  _ He’s a nice guy,  _ Angel Veronica on her shoulder reminded her - pulled the goalie too late, she was going to be annoyed. She’d still comfort him of course, but with some anger directed toward his teammates.

Ten seconds.

_ Fuck _ .

When the clock ran out, Logan dejectedly slunk off the ice, and Veronica immediately stood to head down. “I’m gonna go to him,” she threw over her shoulder at Wallace, who just nodded knowingly.

  
It was wonderful to have a best friend as perfect as Wallace, who understood her so fully. She’d been weirded out at first at the friendship between her two boys, but now found it... Charming. Logan and Wallace, Friends Extraordinaire, fit oddly well. 

They both had her in common. She held onto that smile-inducing thought as she wove her way through Logan’s teammates, security guards, and the other friends pooling around the players. Steve saw her and whispered into someone’s ear, motioning for her to come closer.

“You seem to be around him, a lot,” Steve told her. “I got the security guard to let you in after the rest of the team clears out.”

“Thanks,” she said. She hadn’t considered that she might not be able to go in.

In took almost fifteen minutes of idly standing near the door before the uniformed guard finally let her sneak through. Veronica walked through, seeing clothes messily strung across benches and over shower racks. 

She spotted Logan sitting in front of his locker, his gear already discarded, head between his hands. “Hi, honey,” she whispered, squatting in front of him.

Dejected eyes met hers. “Hey.”

“Not your fault, Lo. Just some shitty luck,” Veronica told him.

“If you constantly have shitty luck, maybe you’re just shitty.”

“No. I’m not letting you do this to yourself, Logan.”

He just sighed.

“I’m serious, Logan. That’s Aaron talking. You’re fucking amazing. I know you. I know you’re beating yourself up. I could see it in your eyes as soon as the puck went in. But... You have teammates. Stop, please.”

Logan turned away from her, but didn’t move to get up. 

She took that as a positive sign and leaned into her boyfriend’s shoulder. “I love you.”

Logan relaxed slightly at her words, and she burrowed her face into his shoulder. “I love you too, V.”

Veronica smiled at her words. It was ridiculous the power she held over him. The ability to soothe his worries, to improve his mood with a few short sentences amazed her, but fuck, was she grateful for it. She wanted to curl up with him and maybe throw on a classic at Wallace’s - it was time to spend a night hanging with their friend - but she needed to remind him how fucking awesome he was first.

His maturity impressed her. Old Logan would’ve brooded for more than ten minutes. In fact, the version of her boyfriend that beat the snot out of Piz would’ve blamed himself regardless of what Veronica said.

“Are you ready to head out, Lo?”

“Sure, Veronica.” He kissed her hard, urgent and passionate.

All too suddenly, he pulled away. “Thank you.”

The light returning to his eyes was all the thanks she needed.

...

Weevil stared up at the ceiling, wondering how the fuck he’d gotten to this place in life. He glanced at his phone when it chimed, expecting a text from Jade. They’d gone out to dinner for the second straight night, this time to an Italian restaurant just outside of Neptune. He felt that it went well, and hated himself for wanting a girl this much after Lilly. 

His mood immediately worsened when he saw the text was from V. A week ago, he would have  _ loved _ hearing about some problem with Echolls, but now he actually sympathized with the guy. He glanced at the message.

**From V: Not an emergency. Logan & I r fine. Just wanted to check in. Been a long night, and I figure if I’m gonna come to you with bad things I can text you out of the blue too. Be a friend, yknow.**

Weevil sighed, thumbing over the digits. It shook him that he was basically a marriage counselor for V and Logan, even if they hadn’t tied the knot yet. He had no doubt they would, someday, assuming they both wanted to get married at all. Those two idiots were fucking perfect for one another.

He wondered how the Sheriff was handling that reality. He’d heard Keith Mars sort of liked Echolls now, but Weevil doubted they’d be pen pals any time soon.  _ Then again, you never thought you’d be exchanging friendship bracelets with them, either _ .

He also briefly considered what would happen after the university holidays were over. V would obviously head back to Stanford, and Logan would eventually have road games. How were they going to work around those obstacles?

Maybe it was time to have a talk with Fennel, to make sure this was something V and Echolls were actually discussing. Knowing Veronica like he did - and Logan, too - there was every possibility neither had taken the time out of their whirlwind relationship to stop and look at things logically.  _ Fuck _ .

He looked back down at his phone and began typing.

**To V: Alright V. Tell me about the game & i’ll tell you about how stuff went with Jade**

Weevil sat up and wondered again how the hell he’d gone down this road. It was going to be a weird one, but V and her posse of friends, complete with their joyful attitude toward life, gave him hope. Everything didn’t look so bleak, like he was destined for a life of crime anymore.

He didn’t feel broken.


	18. Slam Dunk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Many thanks to CubbieGirl1723 for beta-reading. 
> 
> TW: discussion of canon-adjacent unwanted advances in last scene

_ December 28, 2008 _

“It’s Jordan, man. It’s always going to be MJ,” Wallace argued, stepping back to fire up a shot at the net. 

Logan sighed from his position behind the looping three-point arc. He glanced at Veronica, her arms folded over her chest as she watched their argument.

The three of them had decided to spend the afternoon as one with the warm Chicago air, taking to the streets around Nathan’s place. Wallace knew of a park with a full basketball court; luckily, it’d been empty when they got there, so Logan and Wallace immediately devolved into a game of HORSE that Veronica joined in on.

Logan argued back, “No, it’s Kobe. Kobe is better at driving the basket, better at scoring, and had less help. Jordan had Pippen  _ and _ Rodman. Kobe had Shaq only for a few years, man.”

“Logan, my friend... Your bias is showing. Just because Kobe plays in Los Angeles doesn’t mean he’s better than Michael Jordan. He’s the star of  _ Space Jam _ , man!” Wallace said, throwing his hands up in the air.

“Boys,” Veronica interrupted. “It’s neither of them. The best basketball player ever is obviously former San Diego Rocket Elvin Hayes. Dad said so, and my pops is never wrong.”

Both men looked at her, aghast.

“Veronica,” Logan started, “I think I need to have a talk with your dad about his sports opinions. Next you’ll tell me he thinks Trevor Hoffman is the greatest pitcher ever.”

“Actually,” she began, before cutting herself off with laughter. “No. He thinks Terrance Cook is.”

“V, I’m ashamed to know your dad right now,” Wallace said, laughing.

“It’s my turn, right?” Veronica asked, snagging the basketball. When they both nodded at her, she dribbled up to the hoop, put the ball in her nondominant hand, slid behind the backboard, then got both of their attentions with a small wave. “Watch and learn, friends of mine.” She tossed the basketball up and over, grinning when it hit the rim. The smile wiped off her face when the ball clanked off, falling to the side. “Shit.”

“What am I supposed to be learning, Veronica?” Logan asked her.

“Oh, shaddup, Echolls. You already have a ‘HOR’.”

“Oh, that’s harsh, V. Plus, so do you.”

It took her mind a moment to catch up to her mouth. She sighed in exasperation. “Get your mind out of the gutter, Logan.”

Logan laughed as he took the ball back, shuffling to the foul line. He turned around, leaning backward so he was half upside down. He faked heaving the ball over himself twice, then let the it go, watching from the awkward angle as it flew towards the hoop, dropping in with a swoosh.

“No fucking way,” Wallace groaned. “Do I need to take that shot  _ exactly _ the way you did?”

“Yep,” Logan confirmed.

Veronica’s phone chose that exact moment to squeal, so she excused herself to take the call with a frown.

“That’s her dad’s ringtone,” Wallace said.

Logan nodded, watching as his friend positioned his feet at the edge of the foul line. “I know.”

“How’d you like her gift?” he asked.

“I loved it, man. Thanks for going with her.”

“Any time. It was kinda fun figuring out what you might like. Veronica did most of the heavy lifting there, though.” Wallace leaned backward, staring up at the basket. “Dude, how the fuck am I supposed to sink this?”

“Be good at basketball?” Logan asked, smirking.

“Hardy har. You’re funny.” Wallace dropped his hands down to wind up, then flung the basketball backward, watching from his half-upside down position as it clanked off the backboard, hit the rim, bounced up once, then fell aimlessly to the side. “Damn.”

“Finally, we got ‘H’ on you, Wallace,” Veronica said, flipping her phone closed. She looked at Logan and offered her hand for a fist bump. “Nice work, Lo.”

“Don’t thank me yet, Veronica. It’s your turn now,” Logan pointed out.

Her face immediately fell. “Shit.”

Veronica tried lining up her shot, but missed the rim, managing to hit the edge of the backboard. “One more for me.”

Wallace grinned. “As the only player here with actual basketball experience after middle school, let me show you both how it’s done. This rim isn’t regulation, so I should be able to dunk.” He moved over to the top of the arc, pointing out where his feet began, then took off toward the basket, dribbling as he jogged.

When he got within range, Logan watched as he crossed the ball over between his legs, palmed it with his left hand, leapt at the basket, and slammed it down, hanging off the rim for a second afterward, basking in his success. Logan grinned at him.

“Nice work, BFF!” Veronica called at him. “You’re up second this time, Logan.”

Logan screwed his face into a mask of indifference, but he only had one more letter to work with if he missed this shot. He tried to emulate Wallace’s exact dribbling lane, except for the between-the-legs move at the end. When he jumped, he knew he wasn’t going to make it. There was a reason he played hockey now instead of basketball. Vertical movement had never been his strong suit.

He glowered at the chuckling Wallace, looking affronted as Veronica joined in. “Yes, yes. Glad to see you both finding my lack of hops hilarious.”

“Aww,” Veronica said, walking up to him to kiss him on the cheek. “Don’t worry, Logan. You can get a better slam dunk later on,” she said huskily.

“Gross. I’m still  _ right fucking here _ , guys,” Wallace groaned. “Is this what it’s going to be like now that I’m good friends with you, too, Logan?”

Logan just laughed. “Nah. We’ll keep it PG when your delicate self is around.”

“Dude, she’s basically my sister. My mom is dating her dad again. It’s just freaky to see y’all acting like that, even if I do ship it.”

Logan glanced at Veronica questioningly.  _ ‘Ship it?’ _ he mouthed.

She laughed. “He means he wants us together.”

“Oh. Why didn’t he just say that, then?”

Wallace just groaned.

...

“Your next game isn’t for another two days, right?” Veronica asked, lounging lazily across Logan’s chest as they lay in her guest bed that night. After the basketball court, Wallace took them to his dad’s favorite restaurant, on Nathan’s recommendation.

She still hadn’t asked Logan about what he’d found.

“Yeah. We play on the 30th, and then the 1st. 30th is a road game, but only in Rockford against the IceHogs.”

“I’ve been wondering about that,” Veronica said. “Is it just luck that all of your games so far have been home games?”

“They haven’t been. I missed a road game after the injury. That one was in Iowa. We have one in Milwaukee on the 30th. A lot of the franchises in our division are local. Des Moines, Rockford, Milwaukee, and Grand Rapids, Michigan.”

That made sense. Veronica had been meaning to ask about the scheduling luck, but hadn’t wanted to rock the boat. She sighed. “I need your help tomorrow, then.” She hesitated. “That was my dad before, with some bad news. We need to talk to him and Cliff tomorrow over Skype. Weevil got into more trouble making illegal IDs. Or, he was found in possession of the machine from freshman year at Hearst.”

“More trouble with what?” Logan asked, his face scrunched up into a cute picture of confusion. 

“Oh, right. We weren’t together then. There was a weird case right before the year ended that involved Weevs. Since he was a janitor at the school, some of your rich 09er classmates framed him for mass-producing fake student IDs that stored funds.”

“Damn. I wish I’d known about that back then,” Logan complained, snapping his fingers in an ‘aw, shucks!’ gesture. “Weevil would have never heard the end of it from me.” His expression grew serious. “What happened now?”

“Well, after I solved it, the two of us found a third machine was hidden somewhere. He told me he hadn’t found it, but I guess he stole it, and now - and I still don’t really understand the how of it - he’s was arrested this morning, and Vinnie is being a dick about it. Weevil called Dad, knowing I was in Chicago. I guess he didn’t realize Dad is on vacation with Alicia.” Veronica didn’t know who else Weevil could’ve used his call on, but felt bad that they’d wasted it. “Dad, Cliff, and I are going to Skype tomorrow to hash out some details and figure out how to help, and then Cliff is going to take care of it.”

“How do I figure into this, Veronica?” he asked.

“Since we all know you just  _ love  _ Eli Navarro, Sheriff Shithead will never suspect you of helping me, so you’re going to be the one who hires whatever PI we can find in Neptune while Dad’s still away. Just until Dad and Alicia are back, assuming the case is still going.”

“OK.” Logan nodded. “I can do that. Can I make fun of him once, though? For old time’s sake?”

“No.”

“Please?”

“No, Logan.”

“What about after we get him off the charges?”

“... Fine.”

...

Dick glanced around the restaurant, waiting for Susan to arrive. They were actually double dating tonight, so he was sort of excited about that. Carrie Bishop was bringing some loser dude with her, a nerdy guy named Stu Cobbler who’d gone to high school with them. Dick didn’t really understand what she saw in the jerk, but he didn’t have room to cast any stones considering his past. 

“Hey, babe,” he said to Susan, kissing her on the cheek. “You look gorgeous.” He particularly liked how the red dress clung to her breasts, but decided his chances of getting lucky improved if he didn’t actually  _ say _ that part out loud. “Let’s sit down and wait.”

He’d met Susan by chance the week before, the day after Logan had left, in fact. The brand new hole in his life was the perfect opportunity to give the serious relationship shit a try. Mackie had let it slip that Veronica was going to Chicago to visit Wally during their weekly phone call catchup session, and he knew it would be all aboard that train soon enough.

Now in his 20s, Dick kind of wanted to find someone to settle down with some day. Susan already had a kid, so he didn’t have to worry about changing diapers and got the benefits of taking her to tee ball games all the same, if they stayed together.

It was still early, but he liked Susan. Mac had introduced him to the benefits of being friends with a girl he wasn’t constantly trying to nail, and Dick found himself considering adding others to that circle. Though, he did want to sleep with Susan eventually.

It shocked the hell out of him that they hadn’t yet.  _ Logan, is this what dating is like? Is this what you and Ron do? _

Fuck, he missed his best friend. They’d never been apart for longer than a few months, and now the guy  _ lived _ across the country. That loneliness had led him to a fancy bar where Susan, Carrie, Cobb, Luke Haldeman, Sean Friedrich and a few others were hanging out. They’d had to cancel their annual boat trip at the beginning of the summer, and organized a winter get-together instead. Dick had been invited - Logan, too - but hadn’t planned on going.

Once he was there, though, he found himself drinking the night away with Susan and Carrie and actually enjoying their company. He heard about Carrie’s aspirations of being a singer, and how Susan wanted to fight abuse by those in power in an organized, legal way. The other guys around the table didn’t give two fucks about the girls and their dreams, but Dick felt a kinship to Susan. 

His brother suffering at Woody Goodman’s hands had jumpstarted it, but now Dick wanted to see people like Mr. Rooks suffer. He’d had years to grow up next to Logan. Pulling his best friend out of the bottle had grounded him. Fuck, it’d been less than three years since Cass had been there, smiling at Mac as Dick teased them.

He’d give anything to go back to then. 

Susan was a chance at a fresh start, a woman who he could help, someone he could work alongside toward a goal of self-improvement. She was pretty, a great mom, kind, and had an awesome best friend.

If Logan weren’t enamored with Veronica, he would’ve suggested the guy try dating Carrie, in fact. She was much nicer than he remembered.

As if she could sense his thoughts, Carrier and Cobb walked into the restaurant, holding hands. Carrie looked awkward as could be, once again making Dick’s Veronica senses tingle.

What would Ronnie do if she suspected something weird? She’d probably take pictures, but Dick had dropped his phone the other day, so the camera didn’t work.

The waiter chose that moment to bring a menu to their table, complete with a wine list. Cobb ordered the finest chardonnay they had - where did a non-09er get that kind of money?

Dick’d heard the rumors during high school that the guy rolled in drug money, but only small-time products like weed and its offshoots. Friedrich had been dealing, though; he’d been surprised to see Cobb hanging with Friedrich, but maybe the guy had graduated to the big time. He made a note to ask Susan later on about it.

“How are you, Carrie?” his date asked her. 

Dick noticed the quick tense as she shrugged out from under Cobb’s arm, then almost thought he imagined it the next second when she was all smiles.

“I’m good. I think this song is getting close to a point where I can email a recording of it to the producers Gia knows.”

Oh, right. He couldn’t believe that preppy girl was still floating around Neptune even after her father’s disgrace. He wanted to dislike her because of who her father was, but that would be like Mac not liking him because of Beaver. Dick wasn’t that much of a hypocrite.

“How  _ is _ Ms. Goodman doing?” Cobb asked, doing something with his tongue that made Dick want to puke. 

The guy was seriously disgusting.  _ A bit like you used to be _ a voice reminded him inside his head. He was grateful Logan hadn’t left him high and dry that first year at Hearst, when the womanizing had gotten the worst. Fuck, he’d gotten  _ married _ . He briefly wondered if Logan still kept in contact with Heather. If the girl had been a few years older, he would’ve tried calling her to help him keep Logan sober, but he doubted her parents would approve of a teen on drunk dude damage control.

“She’s good,” Carrie said, a smile pasted onto her face, and Cobb dropped it.

All throughout the dinner, Dick noticed subtle things. The way Carrie would involuntarily jump mere moments after Cobb’s hand disappeared under the table, trying to be subtle. How she leaned away from Cobb every time he started to talk, without even realizing she was doing so.

He needed to talk to Susan after dinner, and had to hope she noticed the same things. What would make a hot chick like Carrie stay with someone she clearly didn’t want to be around? It didn’t make sense. Carrie had money, so that wouldn’t be it. If Dick had to guess, Cobb had something on her, and it must have been bad.

Walking Susan to her door after the double date, Dick finally decided to voice his concerns. “Carrie... Do you think she wants to be with Cobb?”

Susan looked away and Dick knew he’d been right to be worried. “I don’t know.”

“I think something’s up. We should try to help.”

“How?”

“I happen to know a pretty good private investigator. In fact, last I heard, she’s just started dating my best friend.”

Susan’s eyes lit up. “Veronica Mars?”

Dick grinned. “This’ll be a slam dunk.”


	19. Caught Stealing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to CubbieGirl1723 for beta-reading and convincing me the final scene worked and wasn't too ridiculous.

_ December 29, 2008 _

If you asked Cliff McCormack, the teenagers and twenty somethings of Neptune needed to get smarter, or at least spend some of that money so many of them had for a  _ real fucking laywer _ .

For someone with a pretty mediocre success rate getting people off their charges, Cliff had an astronomical number of clients. Keith and Veronica, he understood. He just didn’t get how a working relationship with Veronica had somehow led to a continuous stream of newly accused criminals walking through his revolving door.

“Mr. Navarro,” he greeted the man in front of him, placing his briefcase on the holding room table. He’d managed to get a face-to-face first thing in the morning with V’s buddy. “It seems you have some friends looking out for you. Keith Mars called his daughter and myself. The station wouldn’t let me bring my laptop in, given the nature of the crime you’re accused of, but I’ll talk with them later. Are you actually sure you want me to take your case?”

“Do I look like a man who knows how to pick a lawyer?” Weevil said, looking annoyed. “V vouches for you. That’s good enough for me.”

“Right. Do me a favor, then. When - or if - we get you off of this charge, don’t get caught mass-producing fraudulent IDs for a little while, that way I can better choose who to spend my time with.”

“Sure, sure. Where is the Sheriff, anyway? All he said was he’s on vacation.”

“I’m not actually sure. He went somewhere with his girlfriend.”

“Ms. Fennel.” Weevil grinned. “I bet V and Wallace are loving that.”

“Yes, well.” Cliff sighed. It was ridiculous that his friendships got him into these situations; he’d thought the Echolls case was bad enough after Lamb’d arrested Logan the second time. “Would you like to share your side of this sordid story?”

“There’s not much to tell. I did take the copy machine years ago, but it was buried with the rest of my shit back home, or so I thought. I haven’t touched that thing in years.”

“Explain to me how its hard drive shows the identification cards were produced from it, then.”

“I already told the Imitation Sheriff that I don’t know how that happened.”

Cliff was gonna have to pass that nickname along to the Mars family. “And I’m telling you that I need upfront honesty.”

“Look, does V know you’re in here grilling me about this?”

He sighed. “No. Though from what I understand, she’s a bit annoyed you kept the machine.”

Weevil just laughed in his face. “That’s totally how she phrased that. Right. I’ll suck up to her and Echolls later on. I’ll owe them a favor.”

“Why would you owe Logan Echolls a favor?”

“Sure. I wouldn’t. Nevermind.” Weevil looked suddenly uneasy.

Cliff was confused at the turn in the conversation, but couldn’t get another word out before his phone rang, Veronica on the other end. She spoke before he could manage even a ‘Hello.’

“Let me talk to Weevil.”

“I can’t do that, kid.”

“Cliff, we both know you  _ can _ . You just  _ shouldn’t _ .”

“Fine. You have a minute.” He passed the phone over, listening to the end he could hear.

“No, you know I didn’t do it, V.” A pause. “Yeah, I get you had to ask.” A sigh. “I don’t think anyone knew I had it. I hadn’t used it.” 

Veronica must’ve been talking on her end, because Cliff watched as Weevil’s brows furrowed in concentration.

“I asked some of the family to help me move my stuff out of the Hearst place, actually, yeah. I don’t remember everyone that came. I guess it’s possible someone grabbed it then. Yeah, I’ll put him back on.”

Cliff took the phone back. “Get what you needed, V?”

“Yeah. Thanks, Cliff.”

“Any time, Veronica. Tell Logan I say hello. We’ll talk in a bit.” During the phone call, Cliff had put together that she must’ve gotten together again with the Echolls kid. He didn’t understand young love these days.

Hanging up, Cliff turned back to Weevil. “All right, Mr. Navarro. Tell me everything about Sheriff Van Lowe and Deputy Sacks arresting you. Maybe we can get you off on a technicality. Worst case, you’ll be in here three days. Van Lowe doesn’t have enough evidence to keep you longer yet.”

...

Veronica hung up the phone, staring across the kitchen table at Logan and Wallace. Nathan had left early for work, leaving just the three of them to scrounge together breakfast. “Weevil says the only time someone else had access to the machine would’ve been during the move out of his apartment. One of his family members could’ve grabbed it.” That seemed fishy. The Navarro clan was pretty close.

“Where is Weevs living these days, again?” Logan asked, smirking.

Veronica sighed. “Back in the same neighborhood you kicked him out of. But you knew that, smartass.”

Logan grinned unrepentantly. Veronica considered it a small mercy that all he was doing was teasing Weevil, considering their past. 

“What are you thinking, V?”

“I’m honestly not sure. Obviously, we’re gonna help him. You’re both in this with me, right?” She got two nods. “Good. We’re calling Dad in a few minutes. The three of us, plus Dad, Alicia, and Cliff can brainstorm ideas.”

“Sounds good,” Logan agreed.

Wallace got up and walked over to the Keurig on the counter. “How do you like your coffee, dude?” he asked, directing it to her boyfriend. Her best friend knew how she liked hers.

“Just milk. I’m hyped enough in the mornings without any extra sugar.”

“That’s right - how are you going to surf out here?”

“Not really sure,” Logan answered with a sigh. “I’m assuming Lake Michigan doesn’t have any waves, or at least any good ones. I told Dick he had to do enough of it for both of us.”

“Boys, we can discuss Logan’s poor taste in new hockey teams later,” Veronica teased. “For now, let’s focus on Weevil.” She swung her laptop open, firing up the Skype application. 

Once they were ready, she turned on her video camera. “Hi, Dad, Alicia. We waiting on Cliff still?”

“Yeah,” Keith confirmed. “He’ll be here in a minute.”

Veronica sighed. “As Weevil’s legal representation, I’m not sure if he’s going to like my ideas.”

“The evidence is pretty damning, honey.” It sounded just like when Weevil had been accused the first time around.

“He didn’t do it, Dad,” she argued. She glanced at Logan for reassurance, and he put his hand on her shoulder, squeezing. “I know he didn’t.”

She hadn’t really trusted Weevil as much as she could have over the years, but as part of this new, improved Veronica, she was choosing to believe him - and she really did, anyway. She’d asked him point blank if he’d been responsible, and he’d said no. 

“If you really think that, Veronica, then I’ll trust your judgment for now. I want to hear what Cliff has to say, too.”

Wallace returned with their coffees at that moment, sitting down in the empty chair next to Veronica while Logan stood at her back. “Mr. Mars,” Wallace greeted.

“Wallace.” Keith nodded at him. 

Cliff then joined their group Skype call, the split screen transforming into an awkward triangle of smaller square video feeds.

They waved at him, though Logan merely offered a quick head bob. 

“What did I miss?” Cliff asked.

“We waited for you,” Keith said.

Veronica had always liked Cliff, mostly because he cared about her dad, putting their friendship first above even the law at times. 

“What course of action do we have here? Is Vinnie looking to make a scapegoat out of Eli?” her dad asked, starting up the conversation.

It amazed Veronica how all of her boys, Cliff included in this instance, took important conversations seriously, as if flipping their carefree switch off at the drop of a hat. Logan and Wallace, in particular, changed their demeanor to reflect the dire nature of it all.

“Sheriff Van Lowe always wants to blame someone as high profile as Mr. Navarro. His time as the leader of the PCH gang is notorious down at the station, even several years removed. If you want to know my opinion, I think he should consider taking a deal if he’s offered one. We all know that Van Lowe is going to push the issue, and Mr. Navarro  _ did _ have the evidence in his possession when they showed up to search the premises.”

“We’re getting Weevil off. He’s innocent,” Logan stated, his tone booking no argument. It surprised the hell out of Veronica. It also aroused her a bit. 

She knew it was mostly for her, but... He’d suggested that she reconnect with Weevil, and hadn’t Wallace mentioned something about them being friendly while she was at Stanford? Maybe all of her friends would finally be able to coexist in the same space. 

Her father and Cliff continued talking after Logan’s declaration, but Veronica lost herself in a fantasy where she had a 25th birthday party with  _ all _ of the important people in her life getting along. She even included Dick in that, mostly for Logan’s sake. 

“I’m willing to do it,” she heard Logan say, bringing Veronica back to the conversation and the details being hashed out. 

She listened as her boyfriend offered to pay a San Diego private investigator to dig up information on Weevil’s cousins who’d helped him move, tail anyone connected to the purchased fake IDs, and provide updates to Logan. Her dad would’ve been investigating himself had he been there, but they needed  _ something _ to exonerate Weevil sooner than later.

Veronica didn’t want to consider a future where Weevil was in prison. She wanted to say it was because she needed him in case things with Logan went bad, so she could vent to her friend, but the truth was she’d enjoyed becoming good friends with Weevil again. She hadn’t realized how much she’d missed their friendship in the years after Thumper. She was glad Logan was on her side, too.

Together, she hoped they all could save Weevil from a long-term prison stay and figure out who’d want to frame him.

...

Logan sat on the edge of Veronica’s - their - bed, putting on his nicest shoes. They had decided late in the morning to head out for dinner that night, going on their first official date after getting back together.

He’d brought some of his clothes to Nathan’s the last time he and Veronica went to the hotel - which he really needed to consider checking out of to save the Wolves some money.

Veronica had hopped into the shower, getting ready for their six o’clock reservation at the Capitol Grill in downtown Chicago. He’d made a few calls and gotten a secluded table, away from the rest of the place, just in case they got frisky at dinner. It would be worth the extra cost.

Fuck, Logan wanted to head into the bathroom at that very moment and have some very dirty fun with her while getting them both clean. They hadn’t had sex yet that day, and to Logan, that was several hours too long. But, if they starting fucking around so close to the reservation, they were liable to miss it.

He stood up and walked over to the mirror next to the TV stand. He made a mental note to check out a Cubs game if he was in Chicago in April. If the Wolves made the playoffs, he’d still be around then. 

One thing Aaron had done correctly as a father was teach Logan how to make a good tie knot. As he mentally went through the steps, Logan admired the solid black suit jacket he’d opted for. He wore a white long sleeve button-down underneath, a slightly worn brown belt, and his fanciest pair of brown dress shoes, completed by a dotted arch pattern on the toes.

When Veronica exited the room with a “Whoa,” Logan turned around, grinning.

“Hi, Sugarpuss. You look gorgeous.” He leaned in and pecked her cheek. She’d gone with a short sleeve, red dress that hugged her figure in ways that made Logan crave ripping it off her with his teeth. It went to just below her knees, giving Logan a great view of her black high heels. 

Logan melted when he recognized her necklace as the silver one he’d gifted her for Christmas. It fit perfectly, the pendant flush against the visible portion of her neck. He lifted it into his hand, turning it over. 

_ Love _ .

It meant so much more now that Veronica had actually said the words. He’d known.  _ Of course _ he’d known. She had never been good about hiding her feelings from him, and although he’d been hurt by her refusal to say it aloud, he’d been certain she loved him.

But, it was  _ so much _ better to hear those three beautiful words fall from her lips. Logan reached forward and kissed her sweetly just thinking about it.

“Are you ready, Veronica?” he asked after pulling away.

“Yeah. And you look very handsome, Logan,” she told him, reaching up to kiss his cheek like he’d done minutes earlier. 

“I wish we had a car, so I could chauffeur you around,” he whispered. He regretted not immediately renting a car when he’d arrived in town - but how could he have known how much time he’d end up spending with Veronica?

“It’s fine, Lo. I just want a nice, relaxing evening. Then, tomorrow we can worry more about Weevil’s case.”

“Deal.” Logan reached out a hand for her, smiling happily when she took it and they left the guest bedroom. 

Then, they left Nathan’s, getting into the cab for their first date of this new iteration of their relationship.

Their  _ last _ first date, if Logan had anything to say about it.

...

Veronica sighed happily around her bite of steak, wiping some stray juice from the corner of her mouth. 

She watched as Logan’s eyes followed her movements, palpable lust supercharging their dinner table with sexual tension. Veronica wanted some alone time almost as badly as Logan by that point, but they’d both found it important to not delay this date.

“Dick texted me on the way here,” Logan revealed, sipping on his tap water. He’d just checked his phone. “He asked if he could talk to us tonight. I said we had a date, and I’d ask you about it.”

She glanced down at her knife, unable to hold back a giggle at the quick mental picture of her threatening Dick with a steak knife while she wolfed down a piece of her rib eye. “Sure. Tell him we’ll call later.  _ After _ our dessert,” she said, grinning.

Logan nodded. “He was very specific that you be included. I wonder what’s up.”

“We’ll have to see. Let’s not talk about him right now, though.”

“How’s your food? They get it right?” he asked.

Veronica smiled. “Yep.” She ordered her steak medium well, something many people apparently had different definitions of. “The food here is delicious, Logan.”

“I’m glad you think so,” he said, laughing. He glanced around the restaurant. “You know, I got us a table out of view of the other restaurant patrons, Miss Mars.” He lowered his voice to a whisper. “Think I could take advantage of that fact?”

Veronica felt her cheeks redden slightly, though in the dimmed lighting, she wasn’t sure if Logan could see. “What’re you thinking?”

“Dirty talk and the corniest food euphemisms we can come up with? Something about how I can’t wait to  _ stake _ you later tonight.” He grinned, licking his bottom lip as he said it.

Veronica nearly swooned at the mental images of all the food-related puns they could say to each other. “You’re on, Echolls. How about we make this interesting?”

“Oh? I’m listening.”

“Whoever can’t come up with a response first has to go down on the winner tonight,” she said. She was confident in her ability to tap into a deep well of puns and witty retorts - though Logan was good at this type of banter, too. It would be fun.

“You’re on.” Logan smiled lavisciously, stabbing at the sides they’d ordered with his fork. God, those particular sides looked like deliberate decisions on his part, now. “I bet this pickle would tickle coming down your throat,” he said, trying and failing to hold back a snort.

Veronica couldn’t, a full-on laugh bubbling over. “You’re such a dork, Logan. I’m sure your pickle would be delicious.” She glanced around the table, looking for something to use as her first prop. Spotting the perfect thing, she grinned wickedly. She pushed the napkin-covered basket at him. “Logan, why don’t you butter my breasts - oops, I mean, bread - for me.”

Logan’s eyes clouded over with lust, flickering to glance down at her tits filling out the dress she’d gone with. “Later. Definitely.”

Veronica relaxed in the chair while he tried to come up with a retort. They were a ridiculous pair. Their very first date in two years, and they were having ridiculous food porn games at a fancy steakhouse. She absolutely loved every second of the light banter. It helped take her mind off the reality that things seemed to be getting  _ very _ complicated in her life.

Logan picked up their second side - a bowl of cauliflower. “I can’t wait to decauliflower you, Sugarpuss.”

_ Oh, God _ . “No. I refuse to let you have that one, Logan. I win.”

“Hey! It was a perfectly good pun, Veronica,” he protested.

“No, Logan. Plus, you deflowered me years ago,” she countered, grinning. 

He laughed at that. “Fine. Plus, we’re starting to get some weird looks from the waiter over there,” he said, nodding at their server leaning against the bar.

Mortified at the possibility the waiter had heard everything, she was still thrilled at the prospect of some hard-earned quality time sitting on Logan’s face later on. She hadn’t had much opportunity to explore her favorite positions with him again yet, but an evening of him going down on her promised to rectify that.

For the rest of their dinner date, they kept the topics light. Logan wanted to avoid delving into the harsh realities life was rearing back to throw at them, and Veronica didn’t mind. Tomorrow was a perfectly good time for the serious topics.

Walking out of the restaurant a little while later, Veronica suddenly remembered Dick’s earlier text. “Call your BFF, Lo,” she told him, pausing to pull them toward a bench.

Logan nodded and pulled out his phone to dial. “Hey, Dick,” he said, after a moment.

“Is Veronica with you?” she heard through the phone.

“It’s for you, Bobcat,” Logan said, handing her the phone.

“Dick?”

“Hear me out, please. I think I need your help, Ronnie.”


	20. Home Run

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to CubbieGirl1723 for beta-reading.

_ December 29, 2008 _

Logan watched as Veronica spoke in quick, direct sentences to Dick. He could plainly see that whatever his best friend was telling her, shit was bad. For one, Dick  _ never  _ called her Veronica. And his girlfriend barely gave his best friend the time of day, yet they’d been on the phone for fifteen minutes now as she and Logan sat on the random bench.

Veronica had procured a pen and notepad from thin air in the first few seconds of talking, and was busily scribbling everything Dick told her on it. She was fucking hot while she worked, and Logan leaned in to plant soft kisses up her neckline. She paused, smiling briefly at him, then returned to the phone call.

In all, they sat there for about twenty minutes before Dick bid them goodbye, thanked Logan for the help - Veronica had passed the phone back - and hung up.

“V?” he asked hesitantly. He figured this must be important, but, fuck, he really didn’t want to ruin his good mood. They’d had  _ such  _ a fun evening, and now on top of the fucked up Weevil situation, they had some new mystery to deal with.

_ Plus _ , his mind nagged at him,  _ what you found out about Nathan _ . He hadn’t figured out how to bring that up to Veronica without potentially hurting Wallace. It wasn’t anything illegal, but they still needed to deal with that at some point.

“It’s not great, Lo.” She leaned into his shoulder. He’d contemplated waiting until the cab to ask, but she needed to talk about whatever this was right now. “Dick went on a date with Susan last night, and Carrie Bishop went with them, with her new guy, Stu Cobbler. Do you remember him?”

“Yeah,” Logan said. He hesitated. “I scored pot off him a couple of times, actually, if Sean didn’t have any handy.”

Veronica just nodded. “I guess Dick has a brain, after all. He paid really close attention and told me everything he could think of. How she shied away from Cobb’s touch, how the jackass pawed at her despite her discomfort. It seems like a textbook case of coercement. Logan, I know I didn’t see eye to eye with Carrie, but she tried her  _ damnedest _ to get justice for Susan, and my blindness to Mr. Rooks almost let a sexual predator get off scot free. If  _ Dick _ is worried... We need to do this.”

Logan agreed. He’d gotten along better with Carrie than Veronica ever had, and she’d always treated him well without sucking up to the Echolls last name. “I’m in. Dick seems to like Susan, but I would help you on this just for Carrie.”

Veronica burrowed her hair into his side. “Lo... How am I possibly throwing myself into  _ two _ cases at once after not taking on any for so long?”

“You’re Veronica Mars. Maybe that doesn’t mean much to you, but you’re by far the strongest woman I know. You’re tenacious and kind, a mix between the greatest revenge artist of all time and the biggest marshmallow I’ve ever met.” He leaned over and pecked her on the lips. “I’ll help you. We’re here,  _ in Chicago _ , anyway. We can’t do in-person recon for either case. The PI I hired will help with Weevs’ situation. Let’s focus on Susan. I’ll just grab a cab.”

He took his phone out, then noticed a taxi waiting unoccupied up the street from them and helped Veronica to her feet, waving at the driver. The guy acknowledged Logan with a head nod. “Let’s go, V.”

Once in the cab, Logan asked her for her notepad and silently read over the details. He would’ve preferred to hear them from Veronica, but didn’t want to talk about such such private information in front of a driver. It seemed that Dick was supposed to go out on a boat with Susan, Carrie, Luke, Gia, Sean, and Cobb over the summer, and found it weird Cobb had been invited at all. Logan vaguely remembered being invited to that, but hockey obligations made it so that he wasn’t going even before it’d been postponed.

He did find it odd that Cobb would be included in that group, but Sean had always been entrenched in the drug trade in Neptune. Logan just figured that connection scored Cobb an invite.

He read how Dick went to the new 09er club and saw Susan and Carrie there, along with the rest of the group, but that Cobb hadn’t paid any attention to Carrie that night, instead draping himself all over Gia. Dick claimed that he’d gotten drunk, so he couldn’t remember anything else about Cobb. 

Then, Cobb had shown up with Carrie for their double date, and seemed to be intimidating her. Susan was concerned, too, and it had all the trademark signs of trouble. Logan had a feeling Dick was right, though the brevity of Veronica’s notes made him think something was missing... “Why were you on the phone with Dick so long if this is all you have from him?”

“Dick explained in detail every little thing he noticed from the night. I was actually impressed, Logan. He also talked about previous times he’d interacted with Cobb, including how Dick spent yesterday getting an invite to the dude’s house to hang out. Apparently, our resident neighborhood drug dealer has creepy pictures of all three of the women we’ve talked about - he reminds me of Lucky. He has an apartment that overlooks Gia’s.”

Logan winced at the reminder of his friendship with the former janitor. But, then, her words permeated his mind, and the way Lucky’d died - what he’d tried to do - made him sit up in alarm. “Do we think Cobb would really go that far?”

“Lucky had PTSD from the military and Woody Goodman, so it’s different. But by the time he was stalking Gia to get back at Woody, he was off the deep end. From what Dick says, Cobb feels more sinister. He went with Sean and Luke, so he didn’t get to do much investigating of his own. I’m actually a little proud he did this much.” She hesitated. “What happened to him? Wallace talked about how he’s changed, but this is a big difference from the guy I knew.”

Logan shrugged. “He grew up, finally. I think I kinda forced him to. We did most things together, but he had to watch out for me. It forced him to skip out on parties and the such to make sure I didn’t do anything  _ too _ stupid.” Veronica shuddered at the reminder of how far he’d fallen, so Logan hugged her to his side. “How are we going to find out more about what’s going on with Cobb?” he asked.

“Mac?” she suggested. “We can put out a feeler with her. Is she friendly with Dick?”

“Hm. I think so,” Logan said. “Why don’t you already know the answer to that?”

She winced. “I guess my friends felt that any mention of you would set me off, so they avoided talking about you entirely, and that included Dick. I didn’t even know he and Wallace were friends until we went shopping.”

That made sense. Veronica wouldn’t want to be reminded of the shitshow freshmen year at Hearst was. “So, we ask Mac. We have a plan. It’s going to be all right.”

“Logan,” she began. “Can we go back to your hotel tonight? I kind of want to be alone, and we can hang out with Wallace tomorrow. He knows we were going out on a date tonight.”

Logan laughed. “Good thing I didn’t cancel that room yet, isn’t it? I actually already asked the cab driver to bring us there.” He pointed out the window, where they were pulling up curbside to the team hotel. “We’re here, milady.” He reached for her hand, smiling.

The ride up the elevator allowed Logan to gather his thoughts. The entire day had been severely draining, and all he wanted to do was curl up in his bed with the love of his life, complicated outside matters be damned.

Oh, yeah, and make good on their earlier bet...

...

Veronica freshened up in the bathroom first thing. Her steak smelled delicious at the restaurant, but wasn’t so appealing when clinging to her body an hour after the fact. She slipped out of the dress and grabbed one of the undershirts she now kept at Logan’s place. They both quickly realized they needed to keep things at one another’s rooms if switching back and forth every night were to work.

She looked herself over in the mirror, pleased with her appearance. Not that Logan would care how she looked once she crawled onto the bed over him. She knew they had a lot to talk about tonight, but really wanted to relax and enjoy his painstakingly talented tongue first.

That boy’s passion for delivering any time he ate her pussy out always had Veronica eager, and the promise of an evening straddling his face brought back memories of the Grand. Times when she gripped the headboard for balance and ground down onto his face with wild abandon, coming all over his lips and cheeks.

Ready, she exited the bathroom and sauntered over to the bed where her naked boyfriend lay, his arms crossed behind his head, expression smug. “You look cocky.”

“I feel that way,” Logan replied, tugging experimentally at his prick.

Veronica eyed the swollen head, briefly considering saying to hell with the bet, but the promise of an orgasm from a commanding seat on his face won her over. “Ready, Lo?” she breathed out.

“Mhm. C’mere, Bobcat,” he said, sliding down the headboard so he was flush on his back.

She climbed onto the bed and bunched her shirt over her waist in one motion, glancing back at her discarded underwear. She’d gotten rid of the annoying things before entering the bathroom, knowing that the sight of a fully naked Logan would have her impatient.

Veronica settled herself onto Logan’s face, straddling him, her knees leaning on the bed. Relaxing and grinding her hips down, she looked down his body, gently scraping her fingers across his chest. She immediately felt his tongue in her pussy, running circles along her inner walls. The feeling jolted her body with pleasure, eliciting a quick gasp. Fuck, he was  _ so _ good. His undivided devotion to making her come undone never ceased to amaze her.

As unselfish as he always was in their relationship, the way he singularly aimed to please her in this position thrilled her. It was so powerful. She controlled their activities right then. If she wanted to palm his cock and coax mutual orgasms from their bodies, she could - but, if she didn’t want to, that was her prerogative, too.

Logan was all too willing to yield to her in the bedroom to her, especially when she oftentimes sucked the head of his penis into her mouth anyway. Even during sessions entirely focused on her, he still enjoyed himself just by simply eating her pussy out. Logan had even occasionally reached his own orgasm without her doing anything to help it along. The purely feminine thrill that rushed through her during those moments excited her greatly.

She ground down harder when Logan reached his hands up to squeeze the flesh of her ass. He’d lost the bet - this was all about her tonight. He could play later. “Nuh-uh, honey bunches.”

That seemed to be enough to get him to refocus all of his attention on swirling his tongue in and out of her cunt, pushing until she let out a low string of moans. She was quickly approaching a peak, so she told him, “Take your time.”

He slowed his licks down, and she temporarily lifted her ass off his face to let him breathe. “Very good, Snookums.” She settled herself back down after he’d taken the appropriately healthy amount of air in. Breath play wasn’t something they liked doing with each other.

Veronica focused on his ministrations for the next minute or so, the only sound in the dainty hotel room her panting breaths and the faint noise of his tongue lapping away at her clit.

When she approached orgasm this time, she stayed seated on his face, her moans reaching a crescendo as Logan lapped at her clit with more vigor. She came all over his face, then slowly climbed back to her knees, her hips poised over him still. 

Logan gulped in breaths below her, but he grinned, smugly satisfied with his performance. She was, too.

“That was a real home run, V,” he said happily. He leaned on his elbows, sitting up part of the way, biting her gently on her left ass cheek. Then, he lifted her up, positioning her hips so she sat herself atop him. She waited for him to roll a condom on, sank down, sheathing his cock in her well-lubricated pussy, and leaned back into his chest.

“Agreed,” she sighed, lounging lazily as Logan stroked his cock inside of her. 

He paused every few minutes, gripping her ass so she stayed down on him, his dick buried to the hilt.

They fucked like that, relaxed and unhurried, until the friction became too much. Logan lifted her off him a moment later and peeled off the used condom, tossing it in the general direction of the waste basket.

He pulled her down, then rearranged their bodies so they spooned each other, his still-naked chest pressed firmly against her back. “Want to just lay here for a bit, and then we can talk about what the fuck happened today?”

“Sounds perfect,” she said.

So they did.

...

It was almost 11:00 by the time Logan decided it was time to talk. Even at the late hour, they’d remained wide awake the entire time. Logan spent much of it lightly playing with her breasts while she enjoyed the relaxed way they fit together.

He’d  _ loved _ going down on her, and the way she’d taken control so thoroughly tonight turned him on to no end. “Bobcat,” he whispered, threading his fingers through her hair lovingly.

“Hm?” she murmured, turning around.

God, the sight of her like that, lips still slightly swollen, her expression the picture of a recently fucked woman in love? He’d never get enough of that, no matter how long they stayed together.

“I really don’t want to,” he whined, “but we promised we’d talk about shit tonight. We keep putting it off, and that was before the world exploded around us all day today.”

“Crap. I know.” She sighed, wiggling herself out of his cuddling embrace so she could sit up. She let the sheet fall under her breasts, and Logan took a moment to admire her perky twin nipples. She rolled her eyes. “Up here, idiot.”

Logan grinned. “But looking down is just as much fun.” Then reality crashed into him and he sobered. “I want to look down at you as often as possible, Veronica. I don’t know what I’m going to do when you have to head back to Stanford.”

She sighed. “I know, Lo. The semester doesn’t start until the third week in January, so I don’t have to leave until right before then.”

“How are we going to do this?” he asked. He’d thought about it a lot, and knew they needed a plan. A  _ good _ one.

“We have to Skype, of course. Daily phone calls, right?” She chewed her bottom lip. “The sex is going to be hard to work around. How often do you think you’ll be able to get to Stanford? I don’t think I can make it to Chicago, except on breaks.”

“I’m sure there will be weekends I can take one day off when we don’t have a game, but I’ve been skipping practice,” he admitted. “The coach is still allowing it because of the injury, but I really should be attending more often.”

Veronica glanced at him, clearly startled. “Logan! You can’t skip!” He could tell she hadn’t thought about that part of his job.

He chuckled. “I’d quit to spend time with you if I didn’t know you’d skin me for it,” he told her, reaching to her to kiss her neck. “Although, I do love playing hockey. Not as much as I love you, but a lot.”

“So, you don’t have team activities during the summer, I assume, right?” Veronica asked.

“Not from the end of the season until the middle of the summer, maybe early August. There are a few months off there, especially if we miss the playoffs.”

“OK.” She nodded. “I can work with that. I’ll visit you a few times during breaks, and you can come to visit me on some Saturdays if flights work. Then, we can spend a lot of the summer months together. Whether it’s me coming to Chicago or you to Stanford. We can talk every night, and Skype a few times per week.”

Logan mulled it over. “It’ll be hard. Long distance will suck.”

She kissed him. “You’re worth it, Logan.  _ We’re _ worth it. I don’t have to finish my degree at Stanford, either. Chicago has good schools.”

Logan smiled. “Yeah, we are worth it, but I’m not going to let you uproot your life for me when I could be traded at any minute. We’re adults, and our story can cross the country for a few years.” His expression grew more serious. “Now that we’ve at least begun talking about how it’s going to work logistically, we should talk about Cobb and Weevil. That investigator is going to come up with something for us to use to free Weevs.” He hesitated. “What do you think happened?”

“I honestly don’t know,” she said. “I know Weevil didn’t do it. I’m annoyed he took the machine, but I believe him that he didn’t use it.”

Logan had always kind of liked Weevil, despite their many issues. They fought a ton, but he respected Weevil. He was a lot of things, but he had honor. It’s why he never much minded Veronica’s friendship with a gang leader. Weevil wouldn’t sic the PCHers on her. “I believe him, too,” he admitted

“What happened between you two?” Veronica asked him. “All of a sudden, you’re pro Weevil. It’s weird.”

He sighed. “Weevil helped me out once while you were away. It was probably the worst time of all. I’d gone down to the River Stix to try and piss off Liam Fitzpatrick. Dick flipped the fuck out and called Mac,” he kissed her shoulder to relax her suddenly apprehensive body, “who called Wallace. I guess he called Weevil - then, Good Ol’ Weevs dragged my drunk ass out of there. He has dirt on Liam, apparently, and reminded the jackass of that.”

Veronica looked sad for him, but it wasn’t pity. It was fear mixed with resignation that shit had gotten that bad. “I owe him one, then,” she said softly. “All the more reason for us to prove he’s innocent.”

“He protects you, too,” Logan said suddenly. “You’re important to him, in the way you’re important to Wallace and Mac. I’m never worried about you when you’re with Weevs,” he admitted.

“Weevil is definitely more like a protective older brother than anything else,” she said.

“So we know he got the machine in May of ‘07, and he moved out of Hearst... When? Fall? Winter? This past spring?

“This past spring, I think,” Veronica said. “That leaves a lot of time where someone could’ve had that machine and manufactured fake ID cards with it. If that’s the case, our suspect list is large. I hate to think it’s someone in Weevil’s family, but we need to consider that, too.”

Logan thought about any particular avenues they had, remembering suddenly the time Veronica had been dragged into a similar mess. “What’s the name of the kid who framed you at school?”

“Rick Something,” she told him.

“I can try to find out through Dick if that guy is still around and knows anything about the black market for IDs.”

“Sure. On the subject of Dick... We should call Mac in the morning.” She glanced at the clock. “It’s two hours earlier in Neptune, but that’s still after 10:00 P.M. there.”

Logan agreed. “We can do it right after breakfast. Remember, I have a road game tomorrow, though. The one in Milwaukee. That means I have to be on the team bus by noon-ish.”

“Right. Wallace and I are gonna road trip it to watch you. Nathan is letting us borrow the car; Wallace is gonna drive him to work in the morning.”

“Is it really wise for all three of us to be out of commission with everything happening with Weevil?” Logan asked.

“Vinnie is going to have to release him tomorrow night, at least for now. He doesn’t have actual proof Weevil’s been running this op. We’re not really needed until we have actionable information.”

“That makes sense.” Logan hesisted. “V, there’s something else that I’ve been holding back. I know you saw me slip that paper into my pocket on Christmas.”

She turned sideways to look at his face. “I did.”

“It’s information on a child - a high schooler. I had it checked out before I brought it to you. I think Nathan’s got a daughter with a different woman, after Alicia left and married Mr. Fennel.”

Veronica nodded. “That could explain why he seemed so skittish to talk about his past that night at dinner. It’s not evil or illegal, but it could hurt Wallace. Do you have proof?”

“The information included a reminder for a payment - I’m guessing child support, right?”

“It’d make sense,” she said slowly. “I’ll text Dad in the morning and ask him to find out more information on this girl, then I’ll talk to Wallace.”

“All right,” Logan agreed. He kissed her. “I think that’ll work then, and you know I’d  _ love _ to have you come to the game.” He moved his lips to pepper kisses on her nipples, sucking on them. “I think we’ve done enough talking, right? For now?”

When he laid her on her back and began kissing the crook of her neck, Veronica gasped out, “Sure. Weevil can wait,” though stuttering breaths.

They didn’t go to sleep for a long time.


	21. Anchor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to CubbieGirl1723 for beta'ing, as usual.

_ December 30, 2008 _

Logan sat on the team bus, listening half-heartedly to Steve chatting next to him. One of his only friends on the team, Steve wanted to hear all about the hot little blonde number who’d gone with Logan to the hospital and then finagled her way to comfort him after their last game.

He grit his teeth in annoyance at his teammate’s callous attitude toward Veronica. He held his tongue only to keep the peace, but his eyes must’ve shown his displeasure, because Steve stopped talking.

“Serious with her, huh? Were you lying when you said you were single the first day?”

“No,” Logan said slowly. “I hadn’t seen her in a year and a half until two weeks ago.”

Steve let out a low whistle. “Damn, man. She’s lucky. You’re gone for her.”

Logan grinned. “Yeah. I am.”

Coach Dave chose that moment to announce his presence, talking over the inane chatting in his loud, boisterous voice. “Attention, please.”

Everyone focused their eyes on the front of the bus.

“The big team is calling up Jeff,” Coach said, prompting a brief round of cheers. 

“Their fourth-line center got hurt, and they need a long-term replacement,” he said after the excitement had died down. “Logan,” he added, turning to address said man. “That means you’re promoted to first-line center. You’ll be working with Henrik and Chris on the wing. You all need to practice together. I know this is short-notice, but I didn’t have much more than you.”

Logan smiled. First-line center, even temporarily, was basically the anchor of the offense. Veronica was going to be so proud of him. He glanced at Steve and Alexei, sad to no longer be working with them. They’d meshed very well as a trio. Both of them returned his stare with nothing but bright smiles.

It felt  _ weird _ for people to be proud of him, especially people who weren’t from Neptune or in his inner circle. 

He needed to study his new linemates’ styles, but probably wouldn’t have a chance to review the tape before they got to Milwaukee.

He texted Veronica, though, too excited to wait to see her in-person. 

**To Veronica: Coach named me first-line center. Someone with the ‘Hawks got hurt. You’re dating a first-liner, V ;)**

He sat the rest of the ride in a comfortable silence, relishing his new importance to the team. Thoughts of Weevil and Carrie seemed far away, and after the emotional upheaval of the previous day, fuck, did he need that.

...

“Wallace, guess what?” Veronica asked, looking up from her cell. “I’m dating the starting center!”

Wallace didn’t take his eyes off the freeway, but his lips quirked up. “Movin’ up, Supafly.”

“I’m gonna tell Logan you said that. Next, you’ll say I’m after him for his money.” She grinned. “I’m proud of him, Wallace.”

“So am I, V. It’s pretty crazy that two weeks ago we were on a ‘don’t mention’ policy with him.”

She sighed. “I was wrong to do that to you, even if you hadn’t been getting friendlier with him at the end.”

“Oh, no. You were right. I needed a pause from y’all’s melodramatic bullshit, . I needed to be friends with him without you around to really appreciate all the better qualities to Logan Echolls. He grows on you. But not in a fungus-y way.”

Veronica let out a hearty laugh. Leave it to her best friend to brighten her mood immediately. “He ages like fine wine, I guess you could say. And, damn, he’s gotten hotter with age.” She ducked to avoid Wallace’s swat at her shoulder.

“Gross! Why the hell can’t you two keep your TMI shit away from me?”

“Dearest Wallace, it’s never too much information if it’s pertinent to me. You should know that by now.”

He groaned. “Sometimes I wonder, V. Seriously.”

She lightly punched his arm. “Focus on the road, wonder man.”

...

Sitting in a new set of stands, watching Logan skate during final warmups, Veronica felt proud of him. He’d put their friends first and now he was getting rewarded. She focused on how damned  _ good _ Logan looked filling out his road uniform. 

Wallace sat next to her, a healthy flow of conversation flitting between them as they watched Logan’s new line practice drills, waiting to take slapshots at the empty goal. Sergei hadn’t emerged from the locker room yet, so they were firing away from the top of the zone, aiming to skirt in under the crossbar and hit the inside of the top of the net.

Logan made most of his shots, sometimes directing the puck high into the glass, and occasionally getting too little air under his shot so it skated across the ice. Coach Dave reprimanded him particularly harshly in those instances, verbally reminding Logan that a low shot had a better chance of hitting their opponent’s goalie pads.

Veronica watched as her boyfriend grew more annoyed. She tended to agree with Logan; that seemed like something everyone on the team would know.

She turned to face Wallace, who had his eyes on the bench where Steve and Alexei were. “Do you think he’ll do better or worse with new wings?” Wallace asked her.

“He’s Logan. He’ll adapt,” Veronica said. She kept her eyes on her best friend, wary. She hadn’t heard back from her dad yet, though it’d been several hours since she texted him about Nathan’s maybe-daughter, Tamara. She didn’t take Woods as her last name, but Keith would be able to find out more information through official channels and his contacts faster than Veronica could. She’d contemplated texting Mac, but she and Logan their tech wiz friend for more important matters later, and one favor per day was enough.

She just hoped Wallace would forgive her for snooping. She’d only wanted what was best for him.

...

Wallace observed as Veronica got a series of texts during the second intermission. The Wolves were winning 2-1, though Logan didn’t have either of the goals. He’d assisted on the first one, his initial shot banking off the goalie’s right shoulder and bouncing out to Logan’s new right wing. Wallace learned the guy’s name was Henrik, and that he had lightning quick reflexes, pushing the puck through the goalie’s five hole in a fluid, sweeping motion.

The other goal, and Milwaukee’s own, had been scored while Logan was off the ice resting. Wallace glanced at his own phone, noticing no new messages, which wasn’t surprising. Two of his best friends were in the arena with him, his mom was still on vacation with Mr. Mars, and his dad was at work. Mac could have texted, but they didn’t often reach out just to say ‘hi’.

Veronica’s phone chimed again, and he watched as a deep look of concentration took over her face. Whatever she’d learned had just upset her. “That about Weevil?” he asked.

It fucking  _ floored _ Wallace that he felt genuine concern for the same dude who’d duct-taped him to a flagpole, but anyone who spent time around Veronica experienced the ice around their heart thaw. Despite her cynical nature, Wallace thought she was the biggest softie going. Her belief in Weevil and decision to trust him as a confidante, an ear to vent to... That shit did wonders for Wallace’s opinion of the guy.

That, and the ever-present memory of Weevil dragging a trashed Logan out of the River Stix.

He realized Veronica hadn’t said anything in response to his question. Instead, she was glancing warily back at him. “V?”

“No.” She seemed to hesitate. “I asked my dad to look into something. If you remember from Christmas, he’s got connections in Chicago.”

Wallace nodded.

“Well, after... God, let me start at the beginning. The day before Christmas Eve, at the restaurant, Logan and I felt your dad was acting weird. He had... holes in his story, whenever we brought up the time before he tracked your mom and you.”

She paused, and Wallace thought back to that night. Yeah, fine, maybe there had been missing information. His dad had carefully evaded divulging too much detail about the Woods’ side of Wallace’s family, but... Veronica was implying something else. “Go on, V.”

“I... Don’t get mad, okay?” Wallace snorted. “Logan and I did a little digging.”

“And by that, you mean...? Veronica,  _ tell _ me you didn’t snoop in the house that’s feeding you! That’s a major party foul, Supafly.”

“We just checked one measly room. Then I felt super guilty about it, because it was Christmas, and-”

“ _ What _ ?” Wallace shook his head. He loved her, but she was un-fucking-believable. “We exchange gifts, then, what? You and Logan investigate?” He glanced down at the man in question, gliding back onto the ice for the start of the third period. “Echolls is lucky he’s down there, or I’d be reaming him a new asshole, too.”

“Wallace, I’m sorry. Honestly, I like your dad. I was hoping we wouldn’t find anything. In a way, we didn’t, really. He isn’t doing anything illegal, that I know of.” She hesitated again.

“Just fucking spit it out, Veronica.”

“I think you may have a sister,” she blurted. “Logan found a note with a reminder to deposit a payment into this girl Tamara’s bank account on a certain day every month. It also had a note about her being fifteen.”

Wallace mulled that over. Could he really blame his dad for hiding a sibling from him, after the way their past was so fucked up? Assuming it was true, which, with Veronica on the case, it likely was?

Nah, not really. It made him sad, but he and his dad would never have a normal father-son dynamic, and maybe it was better left that way. Veronica, though... “I’m a bit annoyed you didn’t come to me about this in the first place. You know how much Mom hiding Dad’s existence from me hurt. I don’t have high expectations when it comes to that guy, but I do with you and Mom.”

Veronica looked down shamefacedly. “I know. I wanted to be sure it was something to worry you with, you know? And I really didn’t think we found anything. Or, well, I knew Logan nabbed that piece of paper - which, shit, I hope he put back, now that I know what was on it... Anyway, once he told me about this girl last night, I passed it along to you first thing.”

Wallace considered that. She  _ had _ come to him pretty quickly once she knew there was something to discuss. “Fine. I’m a little mad you snooped in his house, but you’re you, V. You’re just looking out for me.”

When Veronica relaxed, Wallace let out a sigh. They didn’t argue very often, and only about big things -  _ you broke Piz’s heart, girl _ or  _ did you really have to do that to Jackie? _ It didn’t feel right to be mad at her. He scooted over and wrapped an arm around her. “Let’s watch your boyfriend kick some Milwaukee Admiral Ass. We can continue this later.”

She smiled back at him, and Wallace felt like it’d be fine.

He just needed to wrap his head around the fact he might have a  _ sister _ .

...

Logan waited until his teammates had cleared out of the area before approaching his two friends. They were both leaning against the wall outside the locker room, chatting away with each other. She’d texted him to say she was going to tell Wallace about his sister, so Logan figured the conversation must’ve gone well if they were still talking so amicably.

“Hey, Sugarpuss,” he said, walking right up to Veronica and leaning in for a quick, but passionate, kiss, ignoring Wallace’s snort.

“Hey yourself,” she greeted him. She latched her teeth over his bottom lip when he tried to pull away, instead wrapping her arms around his neck to deepen their embrace.

This time, Wallace fake-gagged, so Logan pulled away, glaring at him.

“Nuh-uh, Echolls,” he said. “You snooped in my dad’s work office. As payment for not getting too mad, I get  _ one  _ day of limited PDA from you two lovebirds.”

Logan grinned. “Fine.” He pulled away from Veronica, immediately feeling the loss of her affection deep in his heart. He ached to pull her closer, but Wallace was right. However... “You gotta get over being grossed out by this, man.”

“She could become my step-sister. Not saying you aren’t better than literally every other dude on the planet for her, but no guy will get anything other than that reaction from me. Just be happy I helped push her back to you, man.”

Logan hadn’t actually known that had happened. He glanced at Veronica, seeing the truth in her shy expression. “Thanks, man,” he said, his voice coming out a little choked.

“Now that we’re done with this emotional shit, let’s hit the road. Coach said you could head back with us, I’m guessin’?” Wallace asked, gesturing at Logan’s equipment bag strung over his shoulder.

“Yep. We’ve gotta call Mac from the road, hun,” he said offhandedly to Veronica, not even noticing the affectionate nickname until she frowned. “Babe?” he tried, smiling when she snorted and Wallace muffled a laugh with his hand.

“Hun,” she negotiated. “But only on rare occasions.”

“Fine, hun,” Logan teased her, leaning in to kiss her cheek. 

They piled into the car, Logan barely able to fit his equipment bag into the trunk. Nathan clearly hadn’t gotten the thing with maximum space in mind.

Once they’d pulled out of the city limits and back onto the freeway heading south, Logan caught Veronica’s eye and nodded toward her phone.

She scrolled through her phone and dialed Mac’s number, hitting the button to change it to speaker. “Hi, Mac,” she said when the ringing stopped.

“Bond, how’s it hanging?”

“Good, good. I have you on speaker. Logan and Wallace are here.”

“Did Logan have a game today?”

“Yeah,” he spoke up. “We beat the Milwaukee Admirals 3-1. Your two best buds here made the road trip up and rescued me from a boring drive back on the team bus.”

He heard Mac laugh on the other end. “Nice job, Logan. I hope you played well.”

He grinned. “I got two assists, the second on an empty-netter to ice the win.”

“I’m assuming you three didn’t call me to gossip about Logan’s hockey ability.”

“Been wondering that same thing,” Wallace put in.

“No,” Veronica said. Her voice grew more serious. “Dick actually called us yesterday. It seems like Weevil - I’ll explain later, if you haven’t heard - isn’t our only situation right now.”

Logan leaned forward from his place in the backseat and squeezed her shoulder.

“I want you to find out everything you can about Stu Cobbler’s financials, Q. He went to our high school. However you can,” she stressed. “There’s something fishy going on with him.”

“I can get that to you soon,” she said. “Anything in particular I should be looking for, or the usual? New patterns of sketchy payments or a lump sum deposited into his account recently? Something like that?”

“Yeah. All of that,” Veronica confirmed. “I want to know basically everything you can about this guy. Hopefully it’s nothing, Q.”

“I’ll have it to you soon. See ya, Veronica. Bye Wallace, Logan.” Then she hung up.

Logan glanced at Wallace, knowing he’d want more information. Mac might be content to investigate with scant details, but they weren’t getting through an entire drive back to Chicago without telling Wallace more.

They drove in silence for about a minute before Wallace spoke again. “Anyone want to tell me exactly what that was?”

Veronica hesitated. “Dick called us the other day. He’s dating Susan Knight. I don’t know if I told you that.” Wallace shook his head. “He went out with her and Carrie Bishop. Carrie brought Stu Cobbler.”

She paused, letting Wallace digest the new information. “And Dick called Logan and I last night. He’s nervous Cobb might be forcing Carrie to date him, might have something on her, etc.”

Wallace sighed. “It’s unbelievable that you picked up three cases in the span of a week, Veronica.”

She just laughed, so Logan gave her shoulder another quick squeeze. “Sugar Bunches here is a bundle of fun, Wallace. The criminals just gravitate toward her.”  _ Shit _ . He hadn’t meant to imply Nathan was a criminal.

If Wallace caught the connotation, he apparently let it slide. “So, what? You want to find out what this Cobb guy is doing? What happens if you find something really bad? None of us are in Neptune, and Mom and Keith aren’t going back for a few more days.”

Veronica huffed. “We can’t do nothing, Wallace.”

“I’m not saying we do nothing. I’m just asking what we  _ are _ doing.”

“He’s got a point,” Logan said. “If Cobb has something on Carrie, how do we get her out from under that?”

“We could give it to Vinnie. He might be in the Fitzpatricks’ back pocket, but he’s not a completely heartless person.”

“Supafly, we all know you aren’t going to leave this to Vinnie,” Wallace said, a dry laugh escaping his lips. “You’re more likely to hand it over to Sacks or call up Leo.”

Logan’s ears perked up at that last one. “Leo actually could be an option.” They both turned to look at him like he was crazy. “No, hear me out. I heard he’s in San Diego, right? Veronica, he used to like you. You could call him, and then he could intervene if things aren’t too busy where he is. Plus, he was decent when he gave me the tapes instead of selling them to the tabloids.”

Veronica just stared at him. Logan supposed that it  _ was _ weird that he’d voluntarily suggested she call her ex-boyfriend, but he was honestly unconcerned about that. Any lingering affection she had for that dolt - or Piz, or Duncan - paled in comparison to what she felt for him. He was confident in that, and in her love. “Leo can help us. Or you could try Sacks. I think he’s a decent man. But he also works for Vinnie, and Leo doesn’t.”

Veronica nodded. “We’ll see if it comes to that. I’d rather involve fewer people. Let’s wait to find out what Mac comes up with.”

Logan let it drop, and the car lapsed into comfortable silence as they drove south to Chicago. He reflected on how  _ different _ everything was just two weeks earlier. He’d been in Neptune, miserable in the love life department, enjoying his new career, living with Dick...

Now, he was essentially a nomad, dating the love of his life again, and enjoying a road trip with two of his three best friends.

Remove thoughts of all the bad shit swirling around them, and...

It was almost nice.

...

Weevil glanced down at his wrists as Deputy Ballsack undid the handcuffs. He tested out his limbs, rolling them. He had half a mind to deck Sacks for how roughly he’d dragged him through the hallways, but that wouldn’t help anything.

Stepping outside, Weevil gazed at the dark blue nighttime sky. They were far enough from major cities that you could enjoy some stars in Neptune. Times like these, he wished he still owned his bike. 

It would be so much more convenient to hop on a motorcycle and ride out of town. As it was, Weevil smiled when he saw Jade waiting by her car for him. He really liked her, and things were going well.

It wasn’t every girl who would wait around while the shithead of a local Sheriff falsely accused her boyfriend. Jade had only been able to visit sporadically - apparently Vinnie considered him a flight risk - but she’d remained steadfast in her support. 

She reminded him a bit of Felix in that regard.

There were days when Weevil fucking missed Felix. Days when he wished he’d gotten more direct revenge on Thumper, though he was  _ pretty _ sure Logan had inadvertently gotten his final revenge.

He’d never directly asked, but he got the impression the Fitzpatricks had tied the traitor up inside the Sharks’ stadium. And Logan blew that place to kingdom come.

How would Echolls react to that news? Weevil debated sharing that with him if they ever went drinking together. Which, at the rate his life was going, would be sooner than later. Ever since V’s speech, Weevil hadn’t been able to let go of the nagging guilt in the back of his head. Logan hadn’t deserved his scorn over Lilly. He hadn’t hurt the girl they both loved.

That knowledge, that deep-seated hate, had ruined any chance he and Echolls had of being friendly. After the poker game that turned into the case of the missing money, and that time they skewered Mr. Daniels’ car, he and Richie Rich could’ve gotten along. 

Then Logan had woken with a knife in his hand, accused of murdering Felix, and that was shot the fuck to hell.

He still wanted to wring Thumper’s neck for all the shit he’d put them all through.

He shook himself from entering that cycle of thoughts for a second time, walking the rest of the way to Jade. He greeted her with a soft kiss, holding her face between his calloused thumbs. “Hi, babe.”

“Hey, Eli.” She’d insisted on calling him by his God-given name instead of his gang nickname, which was fine by him.

“Ready to go?”

“Yeah.” She sauntered around to the driver’s side, and Weevil watched the shake of her hips as she went, licking his lips. 

Veronica would figure out what the fuck was wrong with his life this time, and who wanted to frame him. She always came through for him, even when he didn’t deserve it -  _ like when you framed Thumper for stealing that money, _ his traitorous mind reminded him.

This time, he was innocent, and he knew his... friends... would come through for him.


	22. Audible

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I'm a little nervous about this one. Not in my comfort zone, but when I saw the prompt and roughly when in the story this would be, I liked the idea.
> 
> A warning for BDSM in this chapter. 
> 
> A huge thank you to CubbieGirl1723 and EllieBear for reading this chapter over, to Cubbie for helping me comb through edits/comments and see what works, and to Ellie for pushing me to be better during the process of this one.

_ December 31, 2008 _

Logan watched cautiously as Veronica glanced his way, then at the clock. 10:00. Two hours until the ball dropped. It was just enough time for them to have one more intimate moment, and Veronica seemed to have a plan to that effect. 

They sat on the edge of Logan’s hotel room bed, in a comfortable silence. Wallace had stayed with his dad to take in the New Year, so Veronica and Logan had decided to spend the evening alone.

She’d told Logan earlier in the day she wanted to explore a new sexual experience with him - an audible, she’d called it, grinning at her latest sports pun - and decided that New Year’s Eve was the perfect time to implement her ideas. 

Despite questioning her throughout the day, all she’d divulged was that they were taking the night off to focus on this new stage to their relationship. Logan was more than eager to see what she had cooked up.

Elsewhere in their complicated web of a life, Weevil had been released from prison after Vinnie kept him the requisite three days, and Mac was prepared to give them her results the next day. Dick intervened and decided to spend the holiday eve with Susan and Carrie, without inviting Cobb. Veronica had insisted on that last stipulation, just in case Cobb really was as nefarious as they suspected he might be. With Keith and Alicia still away on vacation, they had nothing to worry about as far as interruptions went. 

That left Logan in his current predicament, his cock rapidly swelling as Veronica bit her lip in the sexy manner she was wont to do. They’d done virtually everything he could think of in the bedroom, swapping dom and sub, roleplaying each other’s fantasies, indulging in many anal fuckings as freshmen, and many other things, but still had areas in the bedroom they hadn’t touched.

He tilted his head as Veronica crawled toward him on her hands and knees, still wearing her day’s clothes - a wool Wolves sweater, and baby blue jeans that framed her ass for his enjoyment. Logan had dressed down to a pair of plain red pajama pants at her behest, leaving his chest bare.

Veronica ran a hand across his sculpted muscles, scraping them with the tips of her nails. “So, this is how we’re going to play this, Muffin. For the next hour, you’re mine. You do as I say, within reason. If I want that fantastic cock in my mouth, or ass, or pussy, I get it. Then, after that, for the rest of the  _ year _ ,” she said, sighing dramatically, “I’m yours. And we both know that I’m up for anything.” She reached over to the brown paper bag she’d stowed next to the bed and took out two simple, silver pairs of handcuffs, and a bundle of rope. She flashed them both for Logan. “There are scissors and a key ring for the cuffs in here, too, in case you use the safe word. Now, lay on your back and stretch out your hands. I want to try all of this. With you, Logan,” she added softly, reaching forward to caress his cheek.

God, those words did things to his insides he couldn’t even begin to describe. He’d always wanted to hear Veronica trust him in this way, and here she was, finishing off a year that had included his expulsion by surrendering herself in such a vulnerable way. Of course, first she’d get to be dominant. And fuck if he wasn’t looking forward to that. Veronica took control in the bedroom like he’d never seen before.

Logan gave one of his big, bright smiles, nodding his agreement. Then he did what she asked, moving so she could position her hips over his, straddling his waist. “Same safeword as usual, Veronica?” he asked. The first time they’d had sex after graduation, they decided on ‘crowbar’ as a safeword. Both of them were aggressive in bed at times, and wanted to have an established boundary. 

Even though Logan frequently referred to the day he bashed in her tail lights as foreplay, neither of them looked back on it fondly. Veronica, due to the realization that planting the bong had likely gotten Logan hurt physically. Logan, because he knew he’d hurt her more with his words and cruelty than actions. As a result, it made for a strong choice that neither were likely to say accidentally.

In his time since Hearst, Logan had plenty of silent moments to reflect on the choices he’d made during the high school years, as he liked to think of them. Most of all, he regretted alienating Veronica and blaming her for siding with Keith. For a long time, he thought she’d never fully trust him because of that year, of that horrific rock bottom. He barely trusted himself some of the time. Even though he wanted them to be a couple badly, he sometimes wondered if they needed that time apart to grow up separately and reunite as mature adults.

Yet, she now proclaimed to trust him, and here she was, offering to both put her safety fully in his hands and take his own into hers. “Yes, the same safeword.”

“I’m yours, then,” Logan told her affectionately. He outstretched his arms so that the palms hands reached the corner bedposts, then held the oak and waited for her to act, grinning up at her. “Have your dirty way with me, Bobcat.” He winked at her.

Veronica slowly and methodically crawled over his body, torturing him as she clicked the cuffs into place, locking him securely to the headboard. She left his legs free, presumably so he could move around.

Logan hoped she planned to be rather...  _ athletic _ in her fucking. She was fit enough to really ride him, and if she went all out, he knew tonight was going to be a fucking blast.

Logan watched as Veronica got off him and walked slowly toward his refrigerator. She grabbed a bottle of water, sipping it purposefully. He narrowed his eyes on her full lips, groaning when she smirked. She fucking  _ knew _ what she was doing to him.

She slid her jeans down over her hips, then hoisted her shirt over her tits, tossing it directly into the makeshift laundry bag she’d made. Standing there in her bra and underwear, Veronica rolled the latter down her legs and stepped out of them. Logan’s cock twitched with excitement. He waited impatiently until she walked over and sat down on the edge of the bed. 

“You know, Snookums. If you had access to your hands, I’d ask you to take my bra off, but you seem a little tied up at the moment.” Veronica giggled to herself, ignored his death glare, then unclasped the intrusive undergarment and flung it in the direction of her shirt. She spun so Logan could rake in her naked perfection on display. He loved seeing her comfortable in her own skin. It was a welcome change from their first few times making love, when she’d been new and cautious, despite her past with Duncan. It made him practically hate his former best friend.

Finally, she was ready. Veronica climbed back onto the bed, grabbing a condom from the nightstand. She rolled it onto his dick, careful to keep the pressure light. Logan still felt his skin protest under her fingers and hissed. “Careful there,” he teased.

Logan prayed that at some point she’d let him fuck her bareback, in some elusive future where accidentally impregnating Veronica didn’t screw up their future irreparably. He looked into her eyes as she smiled and squatted over him. Then, she sank onto his cock with practiced slowness, drawing a tortured gasp from Logan.

“Fuck! Please, Bobcat. Go faster,” Logan groaned. Her muscles lightly squeezed his prick in a delicious combination of pleasure and exquisite torment. He held her gaze, seeing nothing but love and joy meet him. Logan smiled once he realized that, while Veronica was in control, she was making herself vulnerable in her own way, just by letting him see her like this, naked in every way.

“Nuh-uh, Logan,” she gasped out. “I’m driving. You’ll get your turn.” She rose slightly, until she was elevated over the bed, then lowered her body so her ass cheeks pressed hard into his groin. The motion drew another pleasurable groan from Logan’s lips. He took in the view of Veronica bobbing her hips in a rhythmic motion, her breasts gorgeous, glistening with sweat.

God, he ached to rise up on his elbows and take one of her pert, rosy nipples between his lips. In that fateful month two years ago, he’d paid particularly close attention to her tits, lavishing attention on them like never before. Once everything went to hell, he relished those memories of Veronica’s mouth twisted in pleasure, her eyes glazed over with lust and her body shaking with a staccato of orgasms as he pleasured her breasts.

Veronica must have been satisfied that they were ready to really go at it, because she shifted to her knees, the surest sign she would begin bouncing on his cock. She positioned herself so she could run her hands leisurely up and down his lower abdominal muscles. Her butt nestled into his hips, then Veronica began riding him hard and fast. 

“Fuck, Logan. You really should do something about these,” she teased him, gripping her breasts between her hands and shaking them slightly. When he groaned, she sank down particularly deeply, his cock sheathed fully inside her. “Fuuuuck.”

He ached for her to lean down and kiss him, to grant him that wish. Capturing her lips in a searing kiss would throw them into that tug-o-war of heat and passion that left him panting. He knew she wanted to get her fill of this during the first hour, though, so she wouldn’t indulge him until it was his turn.

Logan considered what he wanted to do with his hour. He might never have another opportunity to play with their fantasies and explore their emotional connection on this level. He wanted her to enjoy everything they did, but what he wanted most was to cross off some items from the list of firsts with her. She was now the first girl who got him to agree to try cuffs. He’d never tied a girl up before, and Veronica had never  _ been _ tied up or cuffed, so those were the first things he wanted to do. He’d thusly never done any of their usual positions with those additions.

Logan groaned when his mind returned to the present, the pressure in his balls beginning to boil. He did the only thing he still could and bucked his hips up, driving further into Veronica. 

“Ooh, naughty boy. Do that again,” Veronica said, relaxing herself by splaying her hands across his abs. Veronica maintained eye contact, smiling as he leapt to honor her request, repeatedly lifting his hips off the bed to meet her motions. Logan admired the bounce of her breasts, the roll of her hips, the way her parted lips moaned out his name in barely-contained ecstasy while they fucked. From his vulnerable position below her, watching her relearn how to unleash her most dominant bedroom self, Logan stared at her in a way that he hoped melted her insides.

When Logan’s breaths drew closer together, he worried his eyes gave away his upcoming orgasm. Veronica returned to her previous squat, dislodging his cock from her delicious cunt. He whimpered, “Please, Bobcat,” but she tutted her head in mock disapproval and stayed perched inches above him.

Then, she shimmied herself up his chest, coming to rest with her hands clutching the top of the headboard, her pussy delicately pressed against his lips. “I’ll get back on your cock after you give me an orgasm, mister. So get licking.” He  _ loved _ when she took charge in this way, so Logan lapped at her, cycling between fast, fervent thrusts of his tongue and slow, torturous circles around her pussy.  _ Karma _ , he thought smugly. If she wanted to play like this, two could.

Veronica clenched the headboard roughly, grinding down onto his face. Logan knew that if he didn’t give her more, she’d punish him, and while that could be fun, he was growing desperate for release. He renewed his attention on her pussy, not slowing down when she began thrusting herself against him.

She quickly came all over his face, mashing herself against his tongue while being careful to give him air. “God, Logan. Fucking dammit, that’s good,” she groaned out, staying seated over him, but in such away that he was able to take full breaths.

Once she relaxed from her first orgasm of the evening, Veronica climbed unsteadily to her knees and crawled her way down Logan’s body, this time facing his feet.

She glanced over her shoulder, catching sight of the way he lavisciously admired the rounded curve of her ass. Logan had the fleeting thought that tonight would be a great night to fuck her ass for the first time since Hearst, but wasn’t sure if they had any lube. He could get creative, but it just wasn’t the same, and though they both loved the singularly exquisite combination of pain and pleasure anal sex created, he wanted his turn to be more about exploration than anything.

Veronica slowly lowered herself back onto his dick, lining up his condom-covered member with her pussy and driving her hips down onto him. Logan enjoyed how deep his cock could reach within her. It was remarkable how well they fit together. She continued repeating her movements for the next several minutes, occasionally pausing with him embedded inside her to the hilt. 

When his orgasm welled up within him this time, Logan groaned out, “Please,” through clenched teeth. 

Veronica got off him, but immediately dropped to a crouch next to him, granting him mercy. She peeled the condom off with impressive speed, and engulfed his cock in her mouth. She hollowed her cheeks and swallowed around the base of his cock, sucking him further into her mouth. Veronica ran her tongue along the underside of his dick, her teeth scraping against his sensitive skin. When Logan moaned her name out, she resolutely took him in as deep as she could, fitting most of his cock into her throat. Veronica swallowed the cum that flooded her mouth. She hummed around him as he panted in pleasure. She was so fucking good at that, and he’d sorely missed how much energy and enthusiasm she threw into her blow jobs. Most other girls he’d been with acted like they owed him this, but Veronica actively enjoyed everything that gave them both pleasure, including oral.

Veronica sat up and glanced at the clock, and Logan noted it was almost his turn. 

“How do you want to handle your hour, stud?” she asked, leaning down and running her tongue across his lower lip.

“Damn, Bobcat,” Logan groaned out. “How can I possibly top that?” He thought about his options then smirked. “Untie me and let’s find out how many ways I can make you moan my name.”

...

Veronica watched from the edge of the bed as Logan rubbed his freshly-freed wrists. An involuntary shiver of anticipation rushed up her spine when he trained heated eyes on her. He was so gorgeous. And sexy, looking at her like he couldn’t wait to devour her.

“On your knees, Veronica,” he ordered her huskily, the light in his eyes belying what could’ve been the harshness of the words. She obeyed, crawling eagerly so she faced the headboard, close to Logan.

He got up and slid off the bed, leaving her feeling momentarily empty. He reached into the bag for whatever supplies he’d need. She strained to look over her shoulder, excitement warring with her nerves when Logan lifted the bundle of rope.  _ This is why you bought that, Veronica, _ she chided herself mentally.

“You really trust me like this, Veronica?” he asked, uncertainty creeping into his voice.

She nodded. “There’s nobody else I’d want to do this with, Lo. I want to try this with  _ you _ . We can explore some kinkier things  _ together _ , if we’re going to at all.” That was a truth it took her years to realize. Logan knew her in a way nobody else ever had, and she wanted to embrace him both openly with her family and their friends, and privately, in every way they could. The thought of putting herself at anyone else’s mercy like that was inconceivable to her, but she trusted Logan with her safety. 

He was gentle as he climbed onto the bed behind her, tying her feet together. The thought came unbidden that he might have been a boy scout at one point, because he knew how to make a tight knot. He leaned around her, picked up the discarded handcuffs, and secured one wrists to the very same bedpost he’d spent the prior hour familiar with, leaving one free so she didn’t have to fully stretch herself. Then he reached over to grab another condom from the box, rolling it over himself.

The position wasn’t uncomfortable for Veronica, but was a departure from what they’d tried lately. She felt some excitement well up within her at the prospect of the things they could do like this. She hadn’t bought any lube with the other supplies, but there were others ways to prepare her ass if they wanted to fuck like that.

She’d expected to spend the hour mostly on her back, with Logan either thrusting into her that way or teasing her, eating her out slowly as payback for her choices. 

Her second guess was doggy-style, though. Logan loved the view of her cheeks bouncing as he fucked her from behind. The only thing Veronica disliked about the position was her inability to  _ see  _ him. Which was probably why he’d chosen to start like this, to keep her on her toes. She couldn’t see him, couldn’t gaze into his eyes and recognize his love. All she could do was rely on sensation, the way his dick felt deliciously teasing her inner walls.

She kept her eyes wide open, memorizing the pattern of the headboard, letting out a low moan as Logan eased his condom-covered cock into her pussy. He placed his hands on her ass and kept a light grip on her cheeks while he picked up his pace. Once Veronica got used to the feel of the bindings, she started to think it was like any of their other fuckathons. 

Yeah, anything they did together was good - they were a fucking machine when knee deep in bed like this - but this felt like it meant more. And,  _ God _ , did it feel wonderful so far. She wasn’t shy about using their safeword if it meant avoiding uncomfortable things one of them didn’t like - like how Logan didn’t like having a finger in his ass, which they’d both agreed to try one time, though she didn’t mind it. She wasn’t tempted at all to use the word, right then.

When, after a few minutes, Logan still hadn’t sped up his thrusts, she angled her head backward to glance at him. “Fuck me harder, Logan.”

“OK,” he grunted out, the sound of his hips beginning to smack against the flesh of her butt resonating in the otherwise-silent room.

She wiggled her ass against him, returned her attention to the headboard, and dropped to her elbow so her butt rose to a better height for him.

Apparently satisfied that she wasn’t nervous about any this, Logan sped up his thrusts, the volume of their fucking nearly drowning out the slight creak of the shitty mattress beneath them. Veronica clenched the wooden slats between her hands, gingerly rising up so her hands helped her legs in supporting her body. “Please let me come, Logan,” she panted, grinding her teeth together to bite back a moan.

Her boyfriend behind her obeyed, fucking her harder still at her insistence. So far, it hadn’t felt like Logan was being particularly dominant despite having her cuffed and bound, and she didn’t mind that.

In fact, it increased her enjoyment of the situation to have both of them fluidly switching between dominant and subservient, like when he’d taken over thrusting up into her during her hour. It showed her how equal they were in the bedroom and made the entire experience more fun. 

Her knees were growing sore, so Veronica pushed back against him, hoping to coax his second orgasm from him quickly. Logan must’ve known what she was up to, because he held her in place and slowed his strokes.  _ Damn _ . She whimpered at the realization he was teasing her.  _ Payback sucks _ , she thought.

He alternated speeds, then. It was difficult for her to feel the rhythm, and her own rising orgasm abandoned her. She reached down with the hand Logan had left free and tried to play with her pussy, but he anticipated such a move, interrupting her with his own hand.

“Nuh-uh, Veronica,” he echoed her earlier words. “It’s my turn. I will pick up the pace, though. We have schedules to keep, Bobcat.” Then he plunged deep into her, pulling her ass back so her flesh rested flush against his hips. He moved fast and urgent, building up so that they returned to the frantic fucking of earlier.

Just as Veronica felt herself approaching a peak once again, Logan came.  _ Dammit! _ She’d been close. After denying him earlier, she just  _ knew _ he was going to take his sweet-ass time.  _ Fuck! _

True to her thoughts, Logan pulled himself out of her, discarding the used rubber in the trash in a continuous motion. He reached around her and uncuffed her hand. She glanced at the clock. 

11:35. 

Her feet began to ache, so she motioned toward them. Logan chuckled and reached over the side of the bed to dig through the bag for the scissors. Once he found them, he cut the rope and freed her. Veronica tested out her newfound mobility, bending her knees and extending her legs backward.

Logan allowed her to simmer in her own excitement, letting her come down from the impending peak, before he gently turned her over, leaning in to whisper in her ear. “Now you can lay there and be teased the way you did to me,” he said, smiling as he did so. While one hand fumbled with the cuffs, resecuring her right wrist to the headboard, he lifted his chin with the other and kissed her, hard and deep and a cocktail of emotion and passion. 

She melted into it, into the feeling of being  _ here _ with him. When her mind wandered toward the fear of the next two weeks, she resolutely shoved the worry aside and used her uncuffed hand to tug Logan closer.

Logan kissed her, then pulled away and walked around the bed to finally secure her left hand to the headboard. She relaxed, spread-eagled on the mattress as Logan settled in atop her, the love and devotion and kindness shining through his eyes. The emotions reminded her that she and Logan fit so perfectly together. He kissed her, sliding into her with measured restraint. 

She wrapped her legs around his waist, the only recourse she had in her extended position to urge him deeper. Logan chuckled and kissed her neck, rocking his body above her. “God, Bobcat,” he groaned, trailing his lips up until he could kiss the corner of her mouth. She angled her head to fully capture his lips in the kind of bone-shifting kiss she’d wanted earlier.

When she felt herself careening toward an orgasm, she gasped and clutched him to her, preventing him from pulling away when he tried to. Veronica knew her boyfriend well, but he’d miscalculated by fucking her in a position where she had her legs free. She smiled, revelling in the small victory. He let out an amused, resigned sigh, then kissed her smirk away.

Veronica then shuddered as her orgasm rushed through her. She bit back the first moan, then groaned out the next. “Fuck, Lo.” She glanced down at where their hips were joined together. “Take off the condom.”

Logan started, looking down at her. “Wha...?”

She pursed her lips. She’d considered the pros and cons of this decision. “I have an IUD, Lo. The last time we got together, before that witch ruined it, I made an appointment and got one.”

He kissed her before she could get the rest of her story out, but she breathed out, “Wait,” against his lips. When he stopped, she continued. “I know you’re clean, and I hadn’t had sex with anyone since we were together. I want to experience the feeling of you bare, inside me without a condom between us.”

Veronica had considered telling him this the first time they’d slept together the week before, but decided to keep it to herself and tell him tonight. It somehow added to their list of firsts. It would be her first time experiencing  _ any _ guy coming inside her.

Logan temporarily pulled out of her to rip the condom off. “I love you so much, Veronica.” He repositioned his cock at her entrance and slid in deeply. He attached his lips to hers, sucking gently on her bottom lip.

Veronica moved her hips to the rhythm he set, feeling the sensations a bit differently without the obtrusive barrier between their skin, though Logan probably felt it more strongly. It was... intimate. Raw. The friction between them was more intense.

She welcomed him inside her and smiled against his lips. “I love you too, Lo. Happy new year.”

Logan reached his third orgasm of the night in the snug embrace of their coupling, coming inside her for the first time, the backdrop of TV reminding Veronica it was midnight.

Happy 2009.


	23. Going Deep

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to CubbieGirl1723 for beta-reading! 
> 
> Warnings for movie-compliant creepiness

_ January 1, 2009 _

The morning light filtered in through the curtains, illuminating his bedroom. Dick groggily opened his eyes, fighting through the alcohol-induced jackhammer in his brain. He noticed he was alone in the bed, which was a good first sign. 

Dick had a vague memory of playing drinking games well past midnight with the girls; they shared the pull-out couch in the living room. He briefly wondered how much longer he and Susan were going to go without having sex. Then he thought of her little girl Alexa and remembered  _ why _ they were taking it slow.

He’d learned a lot by hanging out with Susan and Carrie. Cobb definitely had something on his friend, and he was more determined than ever to figure out what it was.

Sitting up, he stretched his arms to the side and tried his damnedest to shake off the morning blues. His naked body protested against the sudden movements, so Dick sat on the edge of the mattress, gathering his bearings.

He eventually stumbled to his dresser and dug out a bottle of Advil from the top drawer, pouring one into his hand, and grabbing clothes. The door was unlocked, so after he got dressed, he ambled into the hallway, making his way to the kitchen for water. Carrie and Susan were sleeping soundly on the mattress still, the morning light apparently waking neither of them.

Dick poured a glass of water from the pitcher he kept in the fridge, swallowed down the pain medication, and mulled over what he’d learned.

He hoped Mac could confirm some of the details Carrie had drunkenly let slip. Pulling his phone out, Dick fired off a quick text to his friend, asking if maybe they could meet for brunch and call Logan and Ronnie for a group update on the situation. He was grateful that all of his friends were willing to help. Ronnie, especially, had many reasons to ignore his shitty pleas and tell him to go fuck off, yet she hadn’t.

He grabbed a cereal box from the cabinet and milk from the refrigerator, pouring three bowls, though only adding milk to his own. He was briefly nervous that it was presumptuous to assume they’d both stay for food, but... Who didn’t like Rice Krispies? 

Halfway through eating his breakfast, Susan stirred first on the couch. She sat up, wiping at her eyes, then smiled at Dick.

He waved at the extra bowls and went to grab the milk carton again, arriving back at the kitchen table at the same time she did. “Morning, babe,” he greeted her, leaning in to kiss her cheek.

“Hi,” she said. She gestured over at Carrie. “She been asleep the entire time?”

“Yeah,” Dick confirmed. “I just woke up myself. Killer headache.” He grinned, offering her some advil of her own. “I had fun, though. Hope you did.” His mind filtered through the information he’d learned, and he chose to voice some of his earlier thoughts. “I’m thinking of going to talk to my friend Mac today. She can confirm the things Carrie spilled to us last night.”

Susan furrowed her brow, clearly hesitant to involve other people. “I know we need Veronica, but who is Mac?”

Dick grinned a bright, thrilled smile at the question. “She’s great,” he gushed. “She’s a real computer whiz, you know? I think her real name is Cindy. Cindy MacKenzie.” He sobered up. “She was dating Beav when he... When he jumped,” Dick choked out. “She and I were pretty much enemies back then, but now we’re friends.” He pasted the happy smile back on his face, ignoring the pang in his heart at the thought of his lost brother. Mac’s friendship was one he didn’t deserve, but was extremely glad to have nonetheless.

Susan still seemed unsure, but eventually nodded. “OK. We can go talk to your friend.”

“I think now is a good time to come clean with you about some digging I did,” Dick said, motioning to the hallway. “Can we talk in my room?”

She agreed, standing up and extending her hand. Dick grabbed it tightly, the nerves beginning to creep up again. He hoped she wasn’t mad that he’d voluntarily put himself in the same space as Cobb. Luke and Sean were mostly harmless, but she wouldn’t be happy about the former.

When they arrived in his bedroom, Dick took stock up the mess around the edges. Thankfully, there weren’t any porn magazines left strewed all over the floor; he’d put those away before the girls got to his place the prior night. He sat on the edge of the bed and patted the comforter for Susan to join him.

“What happened?” she asked without preamble.

It was now or never. “I, uh... I went and hung out with the guys the other day. After that double date.” He paused and glanced at the wall, wishing he had decorated his bedroom when Logan and he moved in. “Cobb, Sean, Luke,” he clarified. “We went to Cobb’s place. You know where he lives?”

She shook her head to indicate she didn’t. “Where is it?”

“An apartment building. Right across the street from Gia’s place.” Dick had been to Gia’s a few times over the last year, though not lately. He knew where she lived well enough.

Susan crinkled her nose in a way Dick found adorable. “I’m pretty sure that didn’t used to be the case.”

Dick nodded. “There were still moving boxes all over the place. It’s definitely recent.” He’d found that odd, until he did the last bit of investigating. “When Cobb left the room to use the bathroom, I channeled some Ronnie and snooped. I found pictures.” At Susan’s blank look, he expanded. “Pictures of you, Carrie, and Gia. It looks like Cobb’s been spying on all of you. He has you and Alexa walking out of your house, hand in hand. Alexa in a stroller. Carrier at auditions, and Gia at her dad’s grave.”

Susan’s mouth dropped open. “He has pictures of Alexa? What the fuck, Dick?”

“Seems to me he’s been planning something for awhile. What I don’t understand is why he’s with Carrie when he rented a place across from Gia.”

Susan lost herself in contemplation at that. “Gia hasn’t been around much, since right around the time Carrie announced she was dating him. I should maybe reach out to Gia, right?”

“No, don’t do that,” Dick immediately protested. “We’re gonna talk to Mackie and Ronnie today. Let’s at least get their opinion before we reach out to Gia, OK?”

Susan bit her lip before saying, “OK.”

“Babe,” Dick said, reaching out to take her hands in his. “After what Carrie said last night, combined with this, we need to be careful.”

She nodded, and Dick felt nearly overwhelmed with relief. He didn’t know how Ronnie did this shit for a fucking living. He wanted to rip his hair from his scalp after just a few days of barely doing anything.

How the fuck did  _ Logan _ deal with her doing this all the time?

Dick glanced down at Susan and kissed the top of her head, glad he’d decided to date someone who didn’t have a yearn for danger.

...

Logan groaned himself awake when he felt the bedsheets shift over his waist. Looking to the side, he noticed the conspicuously missing blonde from her side of the bed, things clicking into place. He caught her eye poised above his groin, and the question in them, then nodded his permission.

A grin took over his face, the blood rushing to his prick as Veronica teased and tantalized the skin, running her tongue up and down.  _ What a way to wake up _ he thought. She spread her pretty pink lips wider and swallowed around the head of his cock, inching more of him into her mouth. 

Despite all the recent time spent refamiliarizing himself with Veronica’s body, a morning blow job from her never ceased to amaze him. She was so fucking sexy, powerful in her ministrations. She was really going deep, relaxing her throat to coax more of him in. It wasn’t the first time she sucked his cock since they’d gotten back together, but the experience coming on the heels of their mind-blowing revelations last night heightened his pleasure.

Logan felt like they’d made one final breakthrough last night. He finally felt like she had no barriers left. It was weird for a sexual experiment to bring that feeling out in him, but she’d both trusted her safety with him in a sexual sense and a physical sense. Giving him both of those gifts in one year-ending package brightened his morning immensely.

He lightly threaded his right hand through her hair, gently teasing the strands. Letting her control the pace of her sucking, Logan relaxed and enjoyed the sensation. Every time she took him in, he felt his cock pulse, the movements heightening his pleasure. He watched her enthusiasm and began to approach his peak, the constant licking bringing him to the edge.

When she reached down and cupped his balls between her talented fingers, Logan groaned and flooded her mouth. She swallowed, grinned, and climbed back up his body, coming to rest against his chest.

“Good morning, Lo.” She kissed him quickly, then reached over to check her messages. They’d gone to sleep shortly after midnight, only waiting long enough to text Wallace and her dad happy new year. Neither of them were going to last long enough to send messages to Mac or Dick. She paused, bobbing an eyebrow as she read her latest text. 

“What happened, Veronica?” he asked, leaning across her shoulder to try and catch a glimpse.

“Mac texted me. Dick reached out to her and is going to her place with Susan this morning. She’ll call us once they get there.”

Logan was secretly thrilled at how mature his best friend was being. He’d known there was a big soft heart underneath the womanizer exterior, and that faith was being rewarded in spades lately. “We’ll just have to wait, then. Nothing from Weevil?”

“Not since yesterday. He’s enjoying being a free man again, I guess,” she said, shrugging her shoulders against him.

Spinning her body to face him, Logan kissed her shoulder blade, sliding his lips against the curve in her skin. “I can call the investigator later. I need to reach out to Rick about the IDs still, too. Maybe I’ll ask Dick about that when we’re on with him.”

Veronica nodded. “Not a bad idea. Who knew Dick Casablancas would be so helpful?”

He faked hurt at the slight against his friend. Then again, hadn’t he teased her a little about Weevil the other day? “He likes Weev, too.”

“Ah, right. Because of the River Stix incident.”

“Yeah,” Logan agreed easily. “That’s enough, though.” Dick didn’t need to love the guy, but casual acceptance made everyone’s lives easier. He kissed her cheek and lay back, content to relax with his love for a few hours until Mac called.

...

Mac’s New Year’s Day had been full of surprises. The information she’d learned over the last few days resonated with the part of her that yearned for justice.

Dick’s text brought a brief smile to her face. That boy constantly shocked her; she’d never in a million years imagined caring about Dick Casablancas after all the shit he’d pulled in high school. Now, he had a  _ girlfriend _ , and cared enough to come to her place and bring his concerns to her and Veronica.

When the doorbell rang, she got up and let them in, an assessing eye raking over Susan Knight. She hadn’t seen the other woman since before news of her pregnancy leaked their junior year. She looked good, and Mac immediately got what Dick saw in her. She carried herself confidently, and couldn’t hide the concern for Carrie had she tried.

“Come in,” Mac said, stepping aside. She walked to the back of the house and retrieved her cell from the kitchen counter. It would’ve been easier to have this conversation at her dorm, away from prying ears, but her family knew enough to keep to themselves.

Dick walked behind her, though he’d been in the house before. Susan glanced around, taking in the pictures and paintings dotting the wall. 

Mac left her bedroom door open in her wake, booted up her laptop, and started a video chat with Veronica as Dick and Susan sat themselves down in the plastic chairs Mac had set out for them. Veronica’s bright, cheery face popped up onto the screen within seconds, no signs of a New Year’s Eve hangover visible. Mac was jealous.

“Hi, Mac,” Veronica said. Logan appeared above her shoulder, his chin perched on his girlfriend’s shoulder.

“Hey, Bond. Logan.” She turned her laptop to illuminate the rest of her room, tinkering until Dick and Susan showed up in the background. “Now that everyone is here, let’s go over what we know. Dick, you start.”

“OK,” he said. “Carrie spent the night with us last night. She talked about a drug deal gone bad several times, and about how she regretted it ‘so fucking much,’” Dick finished, making air quotes. “I think it must have something to do with the Cobb sitch.” He rubbed Susan’s shoulder blades.

Mac nodded. “I don’t know anything about a drug deal, but there is a pattern of recent payments from Carrie’s account to Cobb’s. And from Gia’s,” she added as an afterthought. “I noticed $500 weekly going into Cobb’s bank account from each of theirs, for the last two weeks.”

Logan frowned on his end of the video call, shaking his head. “That’s a drop in the hat for Carrie. I don’t know about Gia’s finances after her dad’s death, but I doubt she’s hurting for cash.”

“That was my thinking, too,” Mac said. “It doesn’t add up. We need to figure out  _ why _ they are paying Cobb. I’m thinking that Carrie is dating him as part of whatever blackmail scheme he’s cooked up.” She hesitated. “We gotta get Carrie out of there.”

Dick spoke up. “Maybe the payments are to cover the rent on his new apartment.”

“Wait,” Veronica interjected. “What apartment?”

“Oh,” Dick said. “I forgot to tell you that part, Ronnie. Susan helped me figure out his apartment is new. It’s near Gia’s.”

“How near?” Logan asked, sharing a sideways glance with Veronica on their end.

“Yeah. It’s across the street, and on almost the same floor. He could probably watch Gia,” Dick revealed.

Mac pondered what that meant. Had he bought it with their money, like Dick suggested? It seemed very possible. She shuddered at the possible reasons Cobb would have for wanting to be so close to Gia. He was a serious creeper. 

“That can’t be a coincidence. I think we need to consider the possibility he is dangerous,” Veronica said. “I’m glad you came to us, Dick. Maybe you’re right, Logan. We should involve either Leo or Sacks, or even Vinnie.”

Susan chose that moment to speak up. “Before you do that, give me a chance to call Carrie and find out more. All of this?” She gestured at Mac’s computer, at Veronica and Logan, wildly waving her hands. “This is over my head. Carrie and Gia are my friends, though. If they’re in trouble, I want to help.”

Mac got that, and she knew the others would. “Sure,” she told the other girl. “Go and do that now. I assume Carrie went back to her place before you two came here?”

“Yeah,” Dick said. “I saw her to her car.”

Dick shouldn’t have still been able to pleasantly surprise her, but his actions did. It sounded like he was so scared for Carrie that he walked her there out of obligation.

There were times when Mac thought she could date Dick, especially in the last year and a half, ever since the day on the beach. That apology had begun to thaw the icy cool between them, giving her a dependable, trustworthy ally in her corner. When her other friends’ lives got busy, she found herself able to lean into Dick’s comfortable, laid back style of friendship.It grounded her and gave her a support system that wasn’t embroiled in the drama of freshman year at Hearst. That was something Mac hadn’t realized how desperately she needed.She needed someone who took the time to walk his girlfriend’s best friend to her car just to be safe.

“I’ll let you know if there are any updates,” Susan said, bringing Mac back to the conversation unfolding in front of her. Susan waved goodbye and let herself out of Mac’s bedroom. 

Mac contemplated following, but her parents would see Susan out. She refocused her attention toward the lovebirds on the screen growing increasingly more affectionate. In fact, Veronica’s hair looked...  _ Ew _ . “Do you two have anything else to add?” she asked, breaking through their reverie.

“Yeah,” Logan said, suddenly, pulling away from Veronica, to Mac’s surprise. “Dick, do you remember that Rick guy from high school? He framed Veronica for making fake IDs, but I think he used to drink with the guys at times.”

Dick nodded. “I remember him, sure.”

“Can you track him down? See if he has any contacts in the business still?”

“This for Weevil?” Dick asked, surprising all three of them. “What? I hear things.”

Mac smiled, but Logan just said, “It is.”

“I’ll ask around.”

“Thanks, dude. We’re gonna go. We have to discuss things on our end, and come up with a plan from here. How about we make a group chat of the four of us, Susan, and Wallace? That way we can keep one another up to date?”

Mac nodded; that seemed smart enough.

“Thanks, guys,” Dick said, grinning. “I knew I could count on y’all.” He came up behind Mac and gave her a sidearmed hug, causing Veronica’s eyebrow to rise. Fuck, Mac knew she’d have to answer a question about that later. Logan just chuckled, having more insight into the goings-on in Neptune.

“We’ll talk,” Veronica promised, eyeing Mac meaningfully. Then, she waved and hung up the call. Mac immediately shut down the laptop and turned to glare at Dick - who merely shrugged his shoulders. 

“What? Why does it matter if I hug you in front of Ronnie?” he asked, a slight whine entering his voice. “We’re friends.”

“Yes, we are. And  _ Veronica _ didn’t know that until recently because of the whole Logan situation. It’s going to be a shock to her to see us hug,” Mac said, huffing. “It’s the first time she’s seen both of us together since she left for Stanford.”

“It’s not a big deal. She knows we aren’t dating, since I’m with Susan.”

“Dick, you know I like you, but you fucked around on Madison, and you gloated about your conquests. Excuse Veronica for not immediately thinking Dick Casablancas is monogamous all of a sudden,” Mac slowly explained, feeling bad for reprimanding him when his brows furrowed, a sad look entering his eyes.

“First,” he started. “I never cheated on Madison. Yeah, maybe other girls, and I was a shitbag at Hearst, but I was faithful to Mad. She’s the one that fucked some older guy when we were on a break.”

_ Shit _ . She’d forgotten that. Dammit, she’d gone and made him feel bad. They both knew his womanizing Hearst days were in the rearview mirror. “Sorry, Dick.” She searched her room for something to do, to take their mind off of Susan and Carrie and Veronica and all the crap that came along with that.

Spotting her GameCube, Mac’s eyes lit up. “Wanna play some Double Dash, dude?”

Dick’s expression morphed to match her smile. “You’re on. What do I get if I win?” he asked, plopping himself onto the edge of her mattress. Her bed fit snugly into the corner of her room closest to the door but furthest from her computer desk.

Her TV was visible from the bed, so she joined him, leaning back against the wall. “What do you want?”

“Next time we grab tacos, you have to try yours whatever style I choose,” he bartered.

They’d somehow developed a bi-weekly friend date where they celebrated Taco Tuesday, though they’d skipped the last two weeks with the holidays. “Fine. What about if I win?”

Dick glanced at her in confusion. “You don’t want to pick my tacos?”

“No, Dick.” She laughed. “I don’t care how you eat your tacos.” He shrugged. “How about you need to sign up for a coding class at Hearst this semester?”

Opening his lips to say something, Dick just babbled, “What?” 

It was cute. “Coding. Computer programming, whatever you want to call it. Or, if you want, pick some other technology class.”

“Fine, Mac. You win. It’s a bet,” Dick said.

With ample motivation to kick his ass, Mac picked the character duo she played best with, King Boo and Toad. The combination of endless speed-boosts and every special item in the game made her unstoppable.

She wiped the floor with Dick in their first Mushroom Cup race, then settled in and beat him by a small margin in the remaining three, handily winning first place.

When Dick just frowned at her and offered, “Double or nothing?”, she laughed, but nodded.

Nevermind that their bet terms didn’t work for that type of thing. She just wanted to play more with him.

It felt nice to take her mind off the Carrie case, and missing her two best friends. Dick wasn’t Veronica or Wallace, but he was  _ there _ , and they had fun.

She didn’t know what the next few years would bring, but she was glad for his friendship.

...

“We need to call him, Veronica. This is fucking serious now,” Logan said heatedly. 

Veronica didn’t want to call Leo freaking D’Amato. The guy she’d dumped heartlessly for Logan, Part One, then used for a favor all the same. Leo deserved to be free of her.

Plus, years and distance allowed her to view a 20-year old deputy dating the 17-year old daughter of the former Sheriff for what it was - weird at best, creepy at worst.

“Fine,” she agreed reluctantly. “I’ll put it on speaker, but let me do the talking, OK?”

When he agreed, she scrolled through her contacts and dialed.

“Veronica Mars. To what do I owe the pleasure?”

God, he already thought she wanted a favor. She didn’t know what that said about her. “Any chance you have some time off built up and wanna make a return trip to Neptune, Leo?”

“Depends on what it’s for. To see a pretty thing like you, sure,” Leo flirted, and,  _ ugh _ .

“I’m not in Neptune,” she clarified. “I’m sitting in Logan’s arms in Chicago. On vacation,” she told him. She hadn’t really intended to bring Logan into it, subscribing to the strategy that bringing up the man she dumped Leo for was a bad idea. Leo’s reflexive flirting didn’t seem cute now that she was older, though.

“Oh,” he said, his voice falling. “What do you need in Neptune, then?”

“Someone I can trust who isn’t in Vinnie’s back pocket to do some surveillance. It’s to help out some friends of ours back home,” she tried, hoping the part of Leo that desired justice would win out over his apparent jealousy.

“Yeah. I’ll need some details, though,” Leo said.

“Stu Cobbler is the guy we need information on. Daily habits, ticks, routines, anything you can think of. We think our friend who lives across the way from him is in danger,” Veronica added. “You know her, actually. Gia Goodman.”

“Oh, that’s rich, Veronica. You want me to protect Goodman,  _ again _ .”

Until she’d said it, she hadn’t actually remembered that Woody had hired him back then, but... “Just... Are you going to help?”

“I’m off this weekend. I’ll head to Neptune tomorrow after work and stay the next two days and see what I can dig up. Tell me you have a contact for me in Neptune.”

Veronica exchanged a wicked glance with Logan. “Yeah, we know a guy. He’s perfect for some undercover surveillance. A very...  _ deep _ ... thinker.”

Logan smirked at her. It was perfect payback for Leo’s sleaziness. He could enjoy a few days with Dick Casablancas.

Petty vengeance, meet Veronica Mars again.


	24. Playmaker

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you very much to CubbiGirl1723 for beta-reading this (larger than usual) chapter, and for helping me iron out some character motivations I struggled with. A line in this chapter is written specifically for His_Beautiful_Girl.

_ January 2, 2009 _

Logan watched Steve from the other end of the bench, his head in his hands. Steve had gotten his bell rung, earning an interference penalty call.

They were waiting for Coach Dave to settle on a starting power play unit, and Logan hoped he was on it. He already had two assists, and could smell the opportunity for a third one.

When his new schedule had included an afternoon home game the day after New Year’s, he hadn’t been happy. After the excitement recently, though, it felt nice to get back on the ice.

His first assist had been a straightforward goal. He passed it across to Rich, their best offensive defenseman, who’d unleashed a one-timer that skirted over the Rockford goalie’s right shoulder. On a penalty kill near the end of the second period, Logan had managed to bank a pass off the boards that got just behind the opposing power play point man, leading to a breakaway shorthanded goal.

Coach Dave finally nodded toward Logan and his new line, so the three of them took the ice alongside Rich and his pairing partner.

Henrik took the faceoff, winning and dumping it back to Chris, who rocketed the puck across the ice.

Logan needed a few more passes before he finally got control, alternating between a back- and fore-hand, skating around the edge of the blueline. Glancing at his wings, he took stock of Chris shielding the goalie and Henrik set up with a clean shooting lane. 

Except, one of the opposing penalty-killers had a potential angle to jump that route if he took it. And Logan didn’t want to take any chances. With the game still tied at two, they needed this goal. 

He looked at the clock. 4:45. 1:27 left in the power play. Chris lifted his stick off the ground, but even if Logan was able to get the puck in front, he didn’t think his teammate could redirect it through the goalie’s legs at that angle.

Wanting more of a sure thing, Logan dumped it off to Rich, posted in front of the boards closest to their bench.

His eyes gravitated to meet Veronica’s, her smile brightening his mood immeasurably. Fuck, how was he going to manage to get through games without her presence lighting up his day? She would still be around for the next few games, but her return to Stanford was fast approaching. 

Steve’s yell from the bench brought his attention back to the action on the ice, just in time for Rich to fire a shot on goal that ricocheted to Henrik. His wing quickly put it back on net, but the goalie batted it away. 

Henrik corralled the puck and swung it back to Logan, who immediately saw Chris boxing out the nearest penalty killer.

0:40 left on the man advantage...

Logan wound up and shot the puck, angling it so the rebound off the pad bounced out directly to Chris’ stick. His new linemate volleyed it right back on goal, elevating the puck over the shoulder for a power play goal.

_ Fuck. Yes, _ Logan thought, cheering internally. He smiled up at Veronica, who grinned back at him, joy evident in her expression.

For the remainder of the game, Logan thought of all the ways he could celebrate with his girlfriend. All sorts of imaginative scenarios rushed through his mind, each successive one causing his pants to tighten again. 

There wasn’t as catchy a name for assisting on three goals in one game as there was for scoring three, but Logan was still extremely proud of notching a ‘playmaker’ for the first time. He wanted the post-game celebration to match the achievement. He didn’t think Veronica would be able to sweet talk her way into the locker room again, so Logan rushed through his post-game routine, shoveling his equipment into his duffel bag, slinging it over his shoulder, and waving goodbye to his teammates.

Veronica greeted him outside the door by craning her neck to softly kiss his lips. Reaching around her waist to pull her closer, Logan deepened the kiss, ignoring Steve’s wolf whistle as he walked by.

“Hi, Sugarpuss,” he said, smiling brightly at her as she flattened her heels, dropping her height. He reached around and threaded his fingers through hers, clutching her hand to him. “Ready to get out of here?”

“Sure,” Veronica said. “Where do you want to go?”

“Steve told me awhile back that there’s an iHop down the road. Want to see if we can grab a corner booth?” he asked her, leaning down to kiss her ear, whispering.

“OK,” she breathed out, turning to face the doors leading out of the arena.

Wrapping his arms around her in a hug, Logan rested his chin on her shoulder for a moment, then walked to her right and situated them into a side-armed embrace, walking out into the chilly January afternoon.

The journey to iHop passed in amicable silence; Logan thought mostly about the tiny blonde woman dominating his life again. After six months of accepting he wouldn’t be with Veronica again, he had never been happier to be wrong. Holding her hand, kissing her neck, exploring sexual fantasies, planning drug dealer takedowns... Life was clicking on all cylinders, and once they got Weevs and Carrie out of trouble, they could relax, and... Fuck, they could go back to their separate lives, confined to video chats and phone calls.

His good mood gone in a blink, Logan frowned, resolutely diverting his attention away from his girlfriend. One look up at his face and Veronica would know something was up.

He allowed her to treat him to brunch and milkshakes, enjoying the feeling of someone he loved caring about him enough to celebrate. Veronica kept glancing at him throughout the meal, clearly worried. Logan tried to exude confidence, but he fell back into his thoughts every time.

After finishing his breakfast, Logan reached across the table and grabbed Veronica’s palms, lightly circling her skin, attempting to be reassuring. It didn’t work, so he finally gave up the pretense. “I don’t want you to go, V. I’m gonna really fucking miss you. I haven’t actually needed to live this Chicago life yet.”

She looked contemplative, but nodded for him to continue.

“You’re headed back to Stanford, and Wallace will return to Neptune, and I don’t know what the future will bring me.” He hadn’t really paused since before Christmas, before the explosive nature of their love trumped everything else. “I got here a week before Christmas and we saw each other that night. When you leave, what do I do?”

“You’re not alone in this, Lo. What am I going to do without you?” she said, bringing their clasped hands up to her lips, kissing his knuckles. 

“You managed just fine for two years,” he said bitterly, immediately regretting it when her eyes widened. “I didn’t mean that.”

“Yeah. Yeah, you did, Echolls. Low blow. I didn’t  _ manage fine _ . God, do you really fucking think that? I survived. I passed my classes, and made some friends - remind me to tell you about the chick who smoked pot her first week as my roommate,” Veronica said, grinning at the thought. “I was... ‘Not whole’ is such a cliche, so I won’t say that, but you’re my best friend. Shh, don’t tell Wallace,” she teased. “I missed you so fucking much, and I’m  _ going to _ miss you at the end of the vacation.”

Logan steadied his breathing, remembering that Veronica  _ did _ love him, that she was in this with him, 100 per cent. “OK,” he said, relaxing for the first time since he went down this rabbithole.

“We’re gonna be OK, Logan,” she told him, squeezing his hands reassuringly. “After all, we’re epic. Chicago to California’s got nothing on us.”

...

After the brunch at iHop, Logan called the investigator he’d hired for an update, throwing the guy on speaker phone for both of them to hear. Then, Logan decided to head back to his hotel to grab some more clothes from his suitcase, take a shower, touch base with the team’s HR rep, and call Dick. Veronica wanted to stay with him after all of that, so she settled in at the hotel bar.

After the bartender took her order - a Gin and Tonic - Veronica dialed Weevil for an update.

“We still don’t have anything new, Weevil,” Veronica said, apologizing with her tone. 

“What about this PI your boytoy hired?” he asked. She could practically hear him grinding his teeth on the other end.

“So far, none of the people busted with these cards have turned up anything useful. They don’t seem to be connected to one another. Either the buyers are truly random, or this is bigger than we’d anticipated.” She really fucking hoped it was the former. Though she’d do it for Weevil, getting involved in a high-stakes case during her first week back in the game didn’t seem smart.

“What next, then?”

“We wait, unfortunately. Hopefully, there’s a big break. I can’t do much from here, but Dad is heading back to Neptune in the next day or so. He’ll take over the case when he gets there, Weevs. Don’t worry.”

Weevil snorted. “Yeah, the Sheriff is my best hope. Lord, you’d better know what you’re doin’, V.”

“You doubt me?” Veronica said cheekily. “Who even owes who, now?” As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she thought back to the last time she’d said that to him, moments after clearing his name in this  _ same fucking case _ . “And don’t forget that you lied to me about finding the machine in the engineering room, buddy.”

He sighed. “Was too much to hope for that you’d let that one go, eh?” Weevil went silent for a moment, presumably gathering his thoughts to respond. “Yeah. I found it... Life kinda sucked at the time, if you remember. I got fired for a crime I didn’t commit, and I was banged up and couldn’t work. That douchebag wasn’t going to pay the insurance claim, either.” 

Veronica winced, remembering how she’d doubted him when the Hearst employee slipped that detail in about the worker’s comp situation. She and Weevil had a rocky friendship over the years, punctuated by him murdering Thumper - or as good as murdering him, either way. She would never be OK with that, but he’d served his sentence for his role in that crime, and besides that and the warpath he’d taken after Felix’s death, they were usually on good terms.

And like Logan had said to her, she could always count on Weevil to have her back. If she needed a bodyguard to head to hell and back at her side, he’d be near the front of the line signing up, right with her dad and best friends. He’d given her plenty of reasons to doubt him, but so many good moments defending her and coming through in the clutch.

She’d stuck up for him that day to her dad, yet doubted him for that one moment in Hearst. Well... Fuck that. Veronica was determined to place trust in her inner circle. Logan, her dad, Wallace, Mac, Weevil, Alicia. The people she’d call if her life depended on it. 

Noticing that he’d lapsed into silence on his end, Veronica spoke up. “Yeah, I remember all that. You know I don’t approve of you stealing it, but I believe you didn’t use it, too.”

Weevil sighed on his end again. He seemed to be doing that a lot. “Not like I didn’t give you plenty of reasons to doubt me over the years, V.”

“You weren’t, by then,” Veronica protested.

“I fuckin’ threw Thumper to those micks, chica. The money box. Fuck, V... I almost got your boy killed so many fucking times. The bridge, that stupid-ass turf war. I don’t even know how Logan can stand to look at me.”

She started to say something, only to be interrupted.

“Let me finish, V. I was glad to hear from you, you know? Shit is fucking lonely in Neptune without you. Guess that’s how it started. Your boy Fennel, of all the fucking people, reached out to me when Logan got in trouble - an’ yeah, I’m using the guy’s first name right now. Call it thanks for hiring this PI for me. Anyway,” he rambled, running right over any objections she might have had, “he was trashed out of his mind, going after Liam.”

“I heard about it,” Veronica mumbled.

“It’s my fucking fault he’s even in Liam’s crosshairs, right? That shit on the bridge was my fuckin’ fault. Well, both of ours. I know you had to follow the evidence, but I don’t think you’d have ever dated the asshole if you thought, even for a  _ second _ , that he killed Lilly. Heard what I wanted to, and went right after him. V...” he trailed off. “Not sure I ever told you this. Doubt he would have. He was gonna jump. The guy was so fucking plastered. He was up on the ledge, swaying. That’s the one thing I don’t regret. If my boys an’ I hadn’t gone after him, he might not be here today.”

Veronica digested his words as tears began to leak out of her eyes. “He never told me that. Not the full extent.”

“Glad I went after him, if only to save him so he could get to live his life with you now. It led to a lot of shit, and I’d give fucking  _ anything _ to have Felix back. That guy was my brother. I’m not telling you any of this to guilt you, V. It’s just, you go to jail, a-fucking-gain, and you think about ‘what if’, you know? What if V can’t save me this time? The Imitation Sheriff could have it out for me. Whatever.”

Weevil paused, breaths coming out hurried, strangled over the phone line, and Veronica wondered how the fucking hell they’d gotten to this point, where Weevil was baring his soul over the phone to her. She didn’t mind it - wasn’t that the entire point of their phone arrangement, so they had people to talk to?

This was Eli Navarro, unfiltered, unleashed on the world, baring his faults and sins and regrets, and, fuck, it got to her.

He continued talking.

“My biggest regrets are not being there for Felix, and my decisions leading to so much shit in Logan’s life. Save each other’s lives a few times, and I guess a guy grows on you.”

_ Like a fungus _ , Veronica thought with a giggle. There seemed to be a lot of that going around.

“I always just think what would have happened that year if we’d avoided that bridge entirely. How many lives did I ruin? Thumper’s dead. Felix’s dead. Logan almost died. Dick’s bitch of a brother killed so many fucking people. Lilly. Logan’s douchebag of a dad. His mom, too. Beaver, himself, jumping off the Grand. Fuck, I forgot completely about those idiots’ stepmom. All of those deaths feel like ones I could’ve prevented? What if I’d been a better... whatever I was to Lilly? Maybe she would’ve stayed with me, maybe she’d be alive. If she’s alive, Logan isn’t on that bridge, and Felix isn’t fucking dead, and all the bad fucking shit after that... Maybe it doesn’t happen, V.”

_ Holy shit. _

“Weevil,” she interrupted softly. “You can’t do this to yourself.”

“How can I not, V? So much fucking death and destruction. For God’s sake, even fucking Lamb is dead, and I suddenly care about that douchebag. That man didn’t even have the decency to let me walk across the stage at graduation.”

Veronica remembered that scene vividly, the heartbreak etched onto Weevil’s face one of those memories that just didn’t leave a person. “It’ll eat you up. You just have to live your own life. Trust me, friend. I’ve spent  _ so _ much time second-guessing my decisions those years, especially with Lilly, Logan, and... And Beaver. He killed so many people. Meg died because of him. I should’ve known.”

“You couldn’t-” Weevil began, but she took the opportunity.

“Exactly. It’s no way to live, Weevs. I think you need to get out of Neptune after we clear you. It’s eating you up, and living your life out in the same town with all these shitty memories is bad for you. What does Jade do?”

“She’s a teacher,” Weevil answered.

_ Perfect _ . “She can do that from anywhere, if you two work out.”

“God, I hope we do, V. I need a win. She’s great, and she stood by me even when Van Lowe arrested me.”

“See, that’s a start, Weevil. Date her, explore this relationship. Later on, if it works out, you both can get the fuck outta that hellhole. I hear Chicago and the Bay Area have friendly faces,” she hinted.

Weevil choked up on the other end. “I just woke up one day and realized basically all of my friends are dead or hate me, V. Hector an’ I don’t talk, you ignored me, Felix is dead, my boys all hate me for abandoning them, and I can’t even blame them. Just really fucking sucked.”

She got it. Veronica knew that feeling. Stanford was enriching, but she hadn’t been lying to Logan - it was lonely as hell. “Well, you have us, Weevs. We’re gonna get you off this charge, and then soon, Logan and I will come down for a visit and we can hang out.” She looked at her watch, realizing it’d been a longer-than-anticipated phone call, and her boyfriend would be getting nervous soon.

“Are you going to be OK for now, Weevs?” she asked, downing the last of her drink. She tossed a few bills on the bar, including a generous tip. 

He sighed. “Yeah. I will be V. Damn, that got intense.”

“Sounds like you needed it, man,” she said, lodging the phone under her chin as she walked toward the elevator. “I’ll text you if we have any updates, OK? I’m going to call Dad when Logan and I have a chance tonight.”

“All right, chica. Thanks.”

Hanging up with Weevil, Veronica felt overwhelmed. She’d never heard her friend so... raw. That was the best way to describe the version of Eli Navarro she’d just encountered. 

He was grief and regret personified, the perfect example of someone who had been dealt a shitty hand, but who’d buried himself further. Now, he was trying to claw himself out of an early grave, and she was determined to be one of the people supporting that effort. 

She owed him her current life, as far as she understood it. Logan might not be alive had Weevil not intervened at the River Stix, and that was an alternate reality so horrific she didn’t even want to contemplate it. 

Riding up the elevator, Veronica promised herself she would make sure Weevil was a part of her life for years to come. She needed to find whoever was framing him.

No matter who it was.

...

Stepping out of the shower, Logan was surprised to find an empty bed. Veronica had said she was going downstairs to grab a drink and call Weevs.

He pushed down the immediate panic her absence caused, chalking it up to aftereffects from eighteen months of radio silence. Everything except her phone was still in the room, and she had the spare key.

Logan sat down on the edge of his bed and pulled out his cell, deciding to follow through on the decision to touch base with Dick. His best friend answered on the third ring.

“Hey, Logan,” he said, background noises filtering through the phone.

“Where are you, Dick?” he asked, raising his voice to drown out the loud volume.

“Give me a second,” his friend said, then Logan heard the telltale sound of bodies shuffling as Dick presumably worked his way through a crowd to find a quieter location for their conversation. “Sorry about that,” Dick said, his voice reappearing in a rush.

Logan decided asking where the hell he was again wasn’t worth it. Instead, he focused on the more pertinent topics. “You know the plan, right?”

“Yeah, bro. I got this. I’m meeting Ronnie’s ex honey a few blocks from Cobb’s apartment, and we’re doing a... stakeout!” Dick exclaimed, excitement coloring his voice.

On his end, Logan could vividly imagine the boyish expression on his friend’s face, likely complete with a grin. “Please don’t tell me you’re bringing actual steak, buddy.”

“Of course I am, Logan. Who do you take me for? The guy made a wisecrack about your girlfriend always bringing him food, so I’m definitely bringing steak.”

Logan rolled his eyes heavenward, praying nobody he knew up there could see his annoyance. “Fine. Fine. Whatever. But you’re ready?” For such a great friend and an increasingly decent person, he was such a colossal moron at times. 

“Yep. Hopefully this doesn’t take the entire weekend, dude. It’s gonna suck not being able to see Susan,” Dick complained.

He’d known for more than a week now, but the revelation that those two were dating still shocked Logan to his core. If not for it, they wouldn’t even know about any of this, though. He counted his blessings.

“I’m not going to keep you, Dick. I just wanted to call to confirm one last time.”

“I got this, Logan. Stop worrying so much,” Dick said, the smile infectious even over the receiver. “Before you go, I dug up that info you needed, about Rick.”

Logan’s ears perked up. “And?” It would be fantastic if he had good news to relay to Veronica on Weevil’s case when she got back.

“He isn’t selling fakes any more, but he’d heard about a big-time operation in Neptune. He didn’t have many details, but he was pretty sure it wasn’t Weevil, which tracks with Ronnie thinking the guy’s innocent,” Dick said.

“I think he’s innocent, too,” Logan reminded him. “What makes him so sure it wasn’t Weevil?”

“He saw two people involved, and they were white and blatantly racist.”

That didn’t narrow down the suspect list at fucking all for Logan. Half of Neptune was deeply racist. “Nothing else?”

“It was a guy and a girl. He thought he might have recognized them, but wasn’t sure.”

Damn. That would have to do for right then. “Thanks, Dick. I’ll call you tomorrow to see how your day with Leo is going,” he said, grinning through the phone.

“Yeah, yeah. Laugh it up, bro. We’ll see who is laughing when Lego and I solve the case.”

Logan snorted, filing away that nickname. “If you solve this case with him, I’m buying dinner next time I’m in town.”

“Deal.”

...

Wallace walked around his dad’s house, lost in thought. It’d been three days since Veronica turned his family picture inside out, twisting the sense of normal he thought he knew.

He was so tempted to call his mom for advice, but her vacation with Keith was winding down, and Wallace didn’t want to disturb them.

Instead, he stood in front of Nathan’s bedroom, hesitating. His dad had gotten home from work half an hour ago, and had been holed up alone for that time.

Steeling his nerves, Wallace knocked, waiting until his father opened the door before saying anything. “We need to talk.”

Nathan looked intrigued and stepped aside. “What can I do for you, Wallace?”

“I...” He stuttered, suddenly nervous. It was his fucking  _ sister _ ! And not the kind of sister he considered Veronica to be. This girl was a blood relative. “I want to meet her.”

Nathan feigned ignorance - but, to Wallace, it was clear he was faking it - with a quick, “Who?”

“My sister, Dad. I want to meet her, before I go home,” Wallace said, growing angry. Despite what he’d told Veronica, he felt a bit betrayed. He had a fucking right to know this girl. What if she was scared, thinking she was alone in the world, and needed her older brother? Except, Wallace hadn’t even known she existed. “It’s not fair.”

Nathan turned toward the bedroom window, silent. 

Wallace took the opportunity to walk fully into the room, sitting on the edge of the comforter on his father’s bed.

The two men stayed in the uncomfortable quiet until Nathan finally spoke, his voice breaking. “I’m sorry, Wallace.”

“What for? Not telling me you had another kid? Because you’re going to tell me I can’t meet her? Which is it?”

“I don’t want you to meet her.”

“Why the  _ fuck not _ ?” Wallace exploded, his hands trembling, clenched into fists. He dug his nails into his palms in a fruitless effort to calm down. “I deserve the chance to know her.”

“She doesn’t know you exist, either, and her mom barely tolerates me as is. She won’t let me bring anyone else into her life, Wallace. I didn’t get the chance to meet you until you were almost an adult, and her mother left me for much the same reasons yours did. I... I can’t risk losing her. I’m lucky that she lets me visit Tamara.”

Wallace kind of got that. It fucking stung that his dad put the effort into his relationship with this girl -  _ your sister _ , his mind reminded him - to fight for her. Why couldn’t his dad have fought for  _ him? _

Then another thought struck him. “Did you visit her while I was living here three years ago?”

“No, I didn’t visit her while you were here. Her mom didn’t know you, and then just as she was coming around to the idea, the stuff with Rashard happened. After that, she didn’t want Tamara to get mixed up with you. She’s always been afraid that I would become the person I was fifteen years ago again. I was addicted to drugs as part of a case, and... Life became complicated. We’ve hashed some of this out before, Wallace.”

He wasn’t mad at his dad for skipping out on the first seventeen years of his life anymore. He understood that his mother had forced the issue, and that Nathan didn’t have much of a choice. But, a sister? “I need time to think, Dad. She’s my family. There are so many things I can help her with. We’re growing up in the same generation, facing similar issues. She deserves to have a brother around to help her.”

Nathan glanced away. “I can ask her mom.”

Wallace perked up. “Yeah?”

“Yes. I see the way you and Veronica feed off each other, and you’re not technically siblings. Yet. Oh, yeah, you didn’t think I knew that?” Nathan said at Wallace’s startled look. “Your mom is back together with Keith Mars, right? I overheard Veronica talking to her dad on Christmas.” Nathan seemed to get contemplative. “Is she how you found out about Tamara?”

Wallace hesitated to throw his best friend under the bus, but his dad probably wouldn’t believe any other explanation, anyway. “Yeah. But don’t blame her. She’s just lookin’ out for me.”

“I know. And it’s that type of friendship that makes me reconsider. I’ll ask about you meeting Tamara before you head back. It’s the best I can do.”

Standing up, Wallace hugged his dad. “Thanks. I appreciate it.”

“Any time, son.”

...

Keith picked up the phone on the second ring, motioning to Alicia to throw it on the car speaker. “Hello?”

“Hi, Dad!” Veronica said happily.

It was nice to hear a pep in his daughter’s voice. That excitement had been missing over the last few years, but this Chicago vacation was well worth it to bring joy back into her life.

“Hi, Veronica,” Alicia said first, echoed a moment later by Keith.

They were en route for Neptune, driving to the airport to drop off their rental car. The trip had been relaxing in many ways, and Keith wanted to go back already. He and Alicia had discussed making it a yearly tradition, though not during the holidays. He’d felt guilty enough leaving Veronica alone for Christmas one time. He couldn’t do that yearly.

Though, if she stayed with Logan? Who knew how holidays would be going forward.

“How is everything, honey?”

“It’s OK, Dad. We have some updates, though. Leo and Dick are staking out Cobb’s place tonight, probably as we speak. They’re going to stick around there through the weekend. But more importantly, we might have a break on Weevil’s case. Rick came through, and says he heard of a big-time operation run by a white man and woman.”

“That covers a lot of people, dear,” Alicia pointed out, saving Keith the wasted breath.

That got them absolutely fucking  _ nowhere _ . “What about the PI Logan hired?”

“He’s coming up blank so far. There don’t seem to be connections, but before, we couldn’t cross-reference their known contacts with any sort of profile. If we can find them, maybe we can gather enough evidence to put them away and exonerate Weevil.”

“Which he hasn’t actually agreed to do,” Logan pointed out, announcing his presence.

“Oh, he’ll testify. I still have a bone to pick with that asshole,” Veronica cursed. “He got me arrested!”

Keith chuckled, though he hadn’t found it funny back then. That was one of the first incidents where he actually doubted if Veronica was trustworthy. Thankfully, she hadn’t actually been guilty that time, but he wondered if that hadn’t been the beginning of the long years.

He couldn’t fucking believe she was getting dragged back into investigating, but she would never let Weevil’s case lay dormant, and this Carrie situation seemed serious. He sighed. It wasn’t worth arguing with her. She was going to fight tooth and nail to bring the perpetrators in both cases to justice.

“Can you look into this, Dad?”

“Veronica, it’s barely anything. The best I can do is search for people with remarks about racism in their police reports. See if anyone in the database fits that description.”

“Thanks, Dad. Be safe?”

“Always, honey. Talk to you tomorrow.”

Click.

The car stayed silent for a few seconds, before Alicia spoke. “She doesn’t seem OK.”

“She’s worried about Eli.”

“Do you really think she’s going to leave Stanford?”

“For Logan? Pfft.” Keith snorted. “For that boy, my daughter will make any play she thinks ends with them together long-term.”


	25. Out of Bounds

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you very much to CubbieGirl1723 for her help beta-reading. One line sorta adapted from Buffy, though Cubbie reminds me they play a song in S2 that it could be from, too.

_ January 3, 2009 _

Dick might have teased Logan about it, but at the end of the day, his best friend loved Veronica Mars, and that made her OK by him. Sitting with Deputy D’Amato, Dick had the urge to punch someone. The douchebag hadn’t shut the fuck up about Veronica the entire time they’d been staking out Cobb’s place, even after Dick had gifted him leftover steak. If he had to listen to one more instance of the asshole talking about how he’d ‘had her first’ and that Logan stole Veronica, he just had to hope the law found incessant yapping a good defense for punching someone.

Clearly, Leo had never said any of this in front of Logan, especially not the “evaporate”-era version. Dick would’ve heard the story of his best friend decking a police deputy. 

“I just don’t get what she sees in him,” the jackass bemoaned yet  _ again _ . 

_ Yeah _ , Dick thought.  _ I fucking get that, dude _ . “Shouldn’t we be focusing on watching Cobb?” he said, attempting to remain civil and redirect the conversation toward more pertinent matters.

“Yeah, sure,” Leo said absently. “Dude hasn’t budged, though. Damn, Veronica owes me for this shit.”

Dick finally had enough. That was out of bounds. “Why the fuck did you agree to this if you’re just going to sit here and rip my best friend instead of actually doing what Ronnie asked you for?”

Leo gave what Dick could only assume was supposed to be an intimidating glare, but he didn’t scare that easily.

Finally, Leo relented, sighing. “I can’t imagine they’re going to last, you know? I kept tabs on her over the years. She’s the ‘one that got away’, I guess.”

_ Fucking prick _ . “You know you sound like an asshole, right?” Leo just glared. “No, I’m not kidding. You dated Ronnie when she was, what, seventeen? Eighteen? Was she even legal? You’re some hotshot deputy under Lamb and you’re trying to get your dick wet in a high school student?”

“You’re one to talk. How many girls have you slept with?”

“At least I never slept with someone who was a minor when I was in my 20s, dude. Take the fucking ‘L’. She’s sickeningly in love with Logan, anyway. From someone who probably missed their chance, it’s not worth dwelling on. If you’re not careful, she’ll just cut you the fuck out of her life.”

Dick wasn’t entirely sure why Veronica  _ hadn’t _ done that to him. He supposed it was because of his friendship with Logan, but...

Leo sneered. “Did you know that sick asshole bought the tapes of his father fucking his girlfriend?”

Dick clenched his fists. “The ones you sold to him? God, shut the fuck up, man.” Part of him wanted to talk to Logan about this, but maybe Mac was a safer option. She would know whether he should bother Logan or Ronnie with this douchebag’s schtick. 

Pulling his eyes away from Leo, Dick watched as Gia and Carrie left Gia’s apartment. He suddenly had a bad feeling; Susan hadn’t mentioned Carrie would be here when they’d talked. He knew his girlfriend had told her best friend what they’d found out, but that was all he’d been informed of.

Dick lightly punched Leo’s shoulder, interrupting the dickwad’s rambling. “Look,” he hissed, pointing at Cobb leaving his apartment building from the side door, following the girls at a safe distance. “He’s following them.”

“Fuck,” Leo said, putting the car into drive.

Dick was impressed by the guy’s actual investigative skills. He kept out of sight, oftentimes going to the edges of the street to be inconspicuous, keeping Cobb in their sights without constantly being on the road. 

When Cobb slipped into a large, sketchy grey storefront, complete with tattered blinds and garbage strewn around the street. Leo fixed Dick with a significant look and told him to stay put. For once, he listened to the deputy, realizing the situation could be serious. They’d focused on Cobb instead of the girls; halfway through the drive, Dick had lost sight of Carrie and Gia.

They could be anywhere. In hindsight, it was fucking  _ stupid _ to follow Cobb instead of the girls. Or, at least, they should have split up, Leo tailing the more dangerous of their targets.

Dick stayed in the car, alert, keeping stock of his surroundings. Some of the people passing the car gave him odd looks, but he didn’t give a shit. Hopefully Leo was having more luck. Stuck with nothing to do, Dick let his thoughts wander.

Leo was such a fucking douchebag, but the worst part of it all was that, like Cobb at the restaurant, the prick’s behaviour put Dick’s own in such a bad light. He’d been such an asshole for so long, and he honestly didn’t know if some of those decisions were redeemable. 

He hadn’t ever pursued a minor like Leo, or abused anyone, but his own mistakes hurt people, and he fucking  _ hated _ that time in his life. He was lucky his new friends had decided to accept him, but even Mac didn’t know some of the worst shit he’d ever done.

Lost in his thoughts, Dick almost didn’t notice when Carrie and Gia exited the same building Leo was in with Cobb.

_ Fuck it _ . He got out of the car and carefully walked a safe distance behind them until they got back to Gia’s place. As they got to the door, Dick acted on reflexes and jogged up to them, yelling Carrie’s name.

“Hey, Dick,” she said, scrunching up her eyebrow. “What’s up?”

“Was in the neighborhood,” he tried, knowing the excuse sounded lame to his own ears as he said it. “What are you two up to?”

“We were just going to head back in and listen to some of Carrie’s music!” Gia exclaimed happily. 

Dick paused at how upbeat she sounded, glancing at Carrie, whose eyes were glassy.  _ Fuck, they’re high. Dammit. _

The situation clicked into place; they must have gone to score, and Cobb either went for some of his own or followed them and was still on their tail. Fucking hell, he really should have waited for Leo to get back. “Mind if I join you ladies?”

“Sure,” Carrie said hesitantly. 

The trio walked into Gia’s apartment, Dick immediately walking over to the blinds and closing them. He scanned the room, hoping Leo had an eye on Cobb.

Then he glanced around the room, spotting nothing out of the ordinary. He relaxed slightly and turned back to Carrie. “Have you talked to Susan, recently?” It probably wasn’t subtle, but fuck that. 

She nodded. “A few nights ago. I assume you also know what she does, right?”

“Most of it, yeah,” Dick said. He glanced meaningfully at Gia.

“I came here to talk to Gia about it, yes. We’re going to go to the police, right?” Carrie walked closer to the window.

Gia nodded. “Right after we sober up.”

Just fucking great. They probably had  _ been _ sober before their little excursion. Dick glanced at his phone, suddenly worried that he hadn’t heard from Leo. He hated the douchebag, but he hoped he was OK. If something had happened to the guy, shit was about to get real fucking bad for the girls. “I assume there’s some evidence, right? What exactly is it you two have gotten mixed up in?”

Carrie’s face crumpled. “It’s fucking bad, Dick,” she moaned, walking away from the window to sit on the coach, taking her face in her hands. “We got tied up in some shit. He works for a drug empire.”

Despite being high, Dick thought she was being surprisingly clear-headed. But a fucking  _ drug empire _ ? Holy shit!

“We skimmed off the top of Sean’s stash for awhile,” Gia revealed, “and Cobb caught us. We thought he’d just rat us out to Sean, but instead, he told us about everything. Apparently, their employers would be  _ very _ mad if they found out. They kill people, Dick.”

Shit, this sounded like some sort of organized crime shit. Was Friedrich tangled up in it, too? Fuck, where the hell was Leo? “Have you told anyone else about this? Did you tell Susan?” Dick asked, suddenly scared for his girlfriend. The less people that knew all of these details, the better. How were they going to get the girls free of Cobb? The girls seemed willing to turn on him, but there was no fucking way someone in deep to a cartel would allow two rich-ass 09er girls to ruin him.

Gia played with the plant on her living room table, aimlessly toying with a leaf.  _ She’s so high _ .

“What’re you even doing, Gi?” Carrie asked, laughing. Then, she got up and resumed pacing near the window, pushing the blinds open.

“I got this plant a couple weeks ago,” she said. “I just like it. Someone dropped it off the same day Cobb moved in, actually.”

That caught Dick’s attention. He actually focused on the plant this time. The vase was large and decorated with colorful flowers, but that didn’t strike him as weird. Nothing about it did, but his Ronnie Senses tingled. He turned to say something to Carrie about it when movement across the way caught his attention. 

FUCK!

Dick got up and rushed over to the window just as he saw Cobb push the gun out the window. He reached Carrie an instant later, the next few seconds happening in slow motion.

First, he pulled Carrie away from the window, covering her body with his.

Next, the window shattered, glass flying all over the place, small shards embedding themselves in his skin.

Lastly, Dick heard a loud scream, before his head banged into the wall and he lost consciousness.

...

Mac glanced at her phone when it rang, the unfamiliar number shaking her out of her Saturday afternoon silence. “Hello?”

“Is this Cindy MacKenzie?”

“Yeah, that’s me. Who is this?”

“I’m Doctor Whitelen at Neptune Memorial. We have you listed as an emergency contact for a Mr. Richard Casablancas Jr.”

“Dick? What happened to Dick?”

“There was a shooting-” the doctor began, but Mac cut him off.

“A what!? Is he OK?”

“Yes,” the doctor said impatiently. “Mr. Casablancas is fine. He was not harmed by the gunfire, but he sustained a head injury getting his friend out of the way. He’s being held here for now. Does he have any family? His two contacts on his medical forms are you and a Mr. Logan Echolls, who we couldn’t get a hold of.”

Mac frowned, realizing that, no, he didn’t. Kendall was dead, Beaver was dead, his mom didn’t give a fuck, and his dad was in jail. “I’ll be there.”

She hung up and began gathering her belongings, not knowing how long to plan for. Dick deserved a friend. Mac dug through her phone and dialed Susan - color her suspicious, but she’d nabbed the number from Dick’s phone just to have it. She picked up on the second ring.

“Hello?”

“Hi, Susan. It’s Mac, Dick’s friend. I just got a call from the hospital.”

“I know. I’m on the way there. I’m sorry. I would’ve called, but I didn’t have your number.”

“Oh. How’d you know?”

Susan laughed. “The person he saved was Carrie Bishop. He was with Carrie and Gia, who are also fine. Though the bullet shattered her favorite vase and made Gia scream. Carrie called me from the hospital. Apparently, Cobb tried to shoot her.”

Holy  _ shit _ . “Oh, God. Guess we were right about him? Did the police pick him up?”

“Not according to Carrie. I’m actually near your place. Do you want a ride?” Susan asked, the kindness in her offer helping Mac to see why Dick liked her. She was down to Earth, unlike many of the other 09er girls he knew in high school.

“Yeah. That sounds good,” Mac said. She quickly bid Susan goodbye and hurried to gather her belongings. She only had a few minutes. What did she need? Her phone, obviously. Wallet? Check. She grabbed her purse, keys, and a lightweight jacket for the Neptune winter.

By the time Susan pulled up outside, Mac stood on the sidewalk, waiting. She greeted the other woman with a quick smile, climbing into the passenger’s seat. “Any update from Carrie?”

“Not yet. She said it’s her, Gia, Dick, and that detective, Leo. You know him?” Susan asked, glancing to her side.

Mac nodded. “He used to date Veronica.”

“Has anyone called her and Logan?”

Grimacing, Mac shook her head. She supposed that task would be left to her, but Logan was going to flip out about his best friend, and Veronica would be agitated about it all, and her ineffectiveness at helping from Chicago. “I’ll call them after we know how Dick is doing.”

They drove in a friendly silence for the next little while, until Susan’s occasional glances became too much. Mac couldn’t hold her tongue any longer.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“I’m just wondering why you’re one of the people the hospital calls when my boyfriend gets shot,” Susan said. 

Mac winced. She had expected that to come up in conversation, but didn’t know quite how to handle it. “Logan is his best friend, but he doesn’t have a lot of other close friends. He likes to play video games, and we bonded over that and shared grief.” She glanced at Susan, wondering how much she knew about the Cassidy situation.

“His brother,” she murmured. 

“Yeah,” Mac agreed. “Cassidy really fucked both of us up, for reasons that are personal and that I am not going into.”

“That’s fair. I just... I’m barely even dating him, and for Christ’s sake, he’s in the hospital, but... You’re not into  _ into _ him, are you?”

“No,” Mac said, forcing her voice to remain calm. “I’m not.” She didn’t know whether or not she’d just lied to Susan, but from the way she didn’t question it, it must’ve been convincing.

Mac wanted to unequivocally deny she had any feelings for  _ Dick _ , but the changes he’d undergone in recent years made her smile. They brought her joy and pride, especially in how she’d helped him grow. She could now one day see herself entertaining the idea of a relationship with him, if they ever got to that place.

It was a long time coming, if ever. But she wasn’t going anywhere.

And if she had anything to say about it, neither was Dick.

...

When the call came in from an unfamiliar number, Veronica nearly ignored it. She’d been having the best of all afternoons, enjoying Logan littering kisses on her neck. She picked up absently, muttering, “Hello.”

“Veronica? It’s Carrie,” the person on the other end said, instantly putting her on alert.

“Is everything OK, Carrie?” she asked, intentionally saying her name for Logan’s benefit. 

“No. Before I go into it, everyone is  _ fine _ ,” she said, forestalling Veronica’s panic. “Cobb tried to shoot me. Dick saved me, and now he and Leo are glaring at me, telling me I need to give you all the information I have and see if you have any ideas.”

“OK,” Veronica said slowly. “Tell me what happened?”

“Oh, they don’t want me to tell you about the shooting. Well, not right now. Dick can fill you in later. We have more important things to discuss. Susan came to me the other day. I know you found out about the blackmail. Mac and Susan are here right now, in fact,” Carrie revealed.

Why hadn’t  _ Mac _ told her about this shooting? “Then what did you want to talk about?”

Veronica heard the woman on the other end of the phone take several deep breaths to steady herself.

“Sean, you remember him? He’s been getting Gia and I drugs for a few years now. We started skimming some coke and E off the top of his stash, you know? Harmless. Just some fun.” Carrie let out a shuddering breath before continuing. “Cobb caught us, and he threatened to let his bosses murder us unless we paid him to keep us off their radar.”

At least that answered the details of the blackmail, but left her wanting more. “OK?”

“Sean and Cobb work for a pretty major drug operation. I don’t want to call it a cartel, but it’s an empire around here. We had no idea. Actually, is Logan there?”

Veronica looked at her boyfriend and put it on speaker phone. “Yes.”

“Hi, Carrie,” Logan said.

“Hey, Logan. Not sure if you were listening. Veronica can fill you in on the details later. I saw your ex-girlfriend recently, though. Actually, one of your exes was there too, Veronica. You dated Troy Vandergraff, right?” Carrie asked.

Troy... He was back in the drug business?  _ Fuck _ . “I did.”

“He and Caitlin Ford are involved in this drug syndicate,” Carrie revealed. “Weevil’s asshole cousin was with them when I saw them, too.”

“Were Caitlin and Troy  _ together _ together?” Logan asked, sharing a sideways glance with Veronica.

“Yes,” Carrie said.

She got it. Chardo Navarro and Caitlin Ford were bad news, and Troy Vandergraff added a layer to it that she didn’t quite understand. What they’d learned from Rick flitted through her mind... Chardo could have definitely conned one of his cousins into stealing the copier, and Caitlin and Troy could be the masterminds.

Was everything connected? Did Weevil take the fall for some sort of major operation gone bad? Were both of her problems related? That would make her life significantly simpler. It was something to talk to Weevil about.

“Cobb told us his bosses wouldn’t be too happy about us stealing from them,” Carrie continued. “He told us they’d kill us, but if we paid him, he wouldn’t rat on us. I have no idea what Sean knows, though. Then Susan came to me, and I talked to Gia. Dick interrupted us after we’d scored. He thinks Cobb has Gia’s place bugged with a listening device, and when I mentioned going to the cops, he decided to kill me.”

This was... bad. Veronica had no idea what to do about drug deals gone bad when high-level criminals were involved. It was over her head. “So, Cobb is on the run, right? And the police are searching for him?” she asked.

“Yeah. Here, Leo wants to talk,” she said abruptly, then her ex-boyfriend’s voice came over the phone.

“Veronica, since Cobb assaulted me - yeah, before you rip me, he got the drop while I was distracted by the other shit involved here - the San Diego police are going to get involved in this. We’re going to catch him.”

This no-nonsense version of Leo D’Amato, who was actually a decent cop, reminded Veronica he wasn’t  _ all _ bad. He was naive and slimy, but his detective skills were very good.

“That sounds great, Leo,” Logan said, his tone an audio lesson in smugness. Logan reached over and kissed her neck, and the whole thing reeked of macho bullshit.

Veronica gave him a quick indulgent peck with her lips in return, but chose not to comment on it. Besides the fact they were on the phone, Logan was just being a pest. He knew she didn’t like Leo like that. This had been  _ his _ idea.

“I actually have a private investigator on retainer in San Diego, so maybe you can coordinate with him. He’s been tailing some of Weevil’s family members. It’s possible Chardo is among those he’s seen,” Logan said, the logical, rational side of her boyfriend exciting her.

“Of course you just threw your old man’s money at the problem, kid,” Leo sneered, the condescension abruptly ruining Veronica’s good mood.

And, from the clenching of Logan’s jaw, her boyfriend’s, too.

“Leo, stop. You’re out of bounds there,” Veronica said, shutting him up. “Just... Give me an update if you catch Cobb. My dad is getting home today, and I’ll see if he can’t help with his contacts tomorrow.”

She bid them goodbye, turning immediately to catch Logan’s chin in her palm. “He’s just being an asshole, Lo.”

“I didn’t hate him before, but now I kinda do. What’d you see in him?” he asked.

Veronica shrugged. “He was cute. I was young, and he also worked at the station. But, and remember this Logan, after we kissed and my feelings for you surfaced, I never looked at him again. I dumped him. I was actually pretty heartless about it.” She shrugged, not really finding it in herself to care after his actions today.

Rather than focus on that last part, Logan kissed her breathless, pouring the combined emotion of his 20-year-old and 17-year-old selves into it. He loved her like nobody else could, in ways she still couldn’t believe were possible, and she really loved him for it.

Veronica kissed him, whispering softly against his mouth after they broke apart. “We have a lot to discuss now. Let’s call my dad after we eat, OK?”

Logan nodded, thoughts of Leo’s skeeviness gone, and they began to enjoy their evening. Carrie, Weevil, Dick, and Gia were safe for now, and continuing to find proof to save them could wait until morning.


	26. Break Point

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A huge thank you to CubbieGirl1723 for continuing to magically turn around beta-reading on a chapter per day for this whole month.

_ January 4, 2009 _

Keith Mars woke up with a raging headache, the aftereffect from his anxiety-inducing phone call with Veronica the previous night. Drugs, conspiracies, murder attempts... And she wasn’t in Neptune!

He got out of his bed, careful not to wake Alicia. She’d listened to all of the details and offered her assistance, but without any law enforcement contacts, she couldn’t help today. Walking to the door, Keith spared her one last glance and sighed. She was so... He really didn’t want to fuck up this relationship a second time. Things were going well. He had a family, and Veronica was happy - she was fucking  _ finally _ back with Logan. 

With everything going so well in his personal life, he was not looking forward to dealing with this Carrie Bishop and Eli Navarro situation. He owed it to his daughter - hell, he owed it to Eli - to help, but this was a shitstorm.

Keith dug through his phone book and set about reaching out to anyone who could help. Leo was in the hospital still, and they needed to know who else Cobb could look to for help. Vinnie had deputies posted outside Sean Friedrich and Luke Haldeman’s houses. As useless as he was normally, Vinnie was taking this threat seriously.

Would Sacks be able to get more information? Since they used to work together, Keith was pretty sure Sacks was the only deputy he could trust. He mulled over the idea, finally firing off a text to Cliff and one to Sacks.

He made coffee for himself and Alicia, attempting to focus his attention on anything other than the dangerous criminals running around Neptune.

_ Ah, it was good to be home _ . 

Just as Keith added a dash of cream to cool off his coffee, his phone chimed with an incoming text. He checked and saw information from Sacks. Apparently, while Vinnie was taking it more seriously than most situations in their town, it was all window dressing. There were deputies stationed outside the known haunts - clubs, suspected drug dens, etc., but Vinnie couldn’t be bothered to search harder for known associates.

They’d gotten a tip on Chardo Navarro, though, and knocking out that bird was still worth a stone. Keith gathered his belongings and headed back to the bedroom to change out of his red-striped pajamas. He didn’t  _ fully _ understand all of the moving pieces, but if they could get a big break in the case, Chardo could be key.

After he’d finished changing, he reached over to kiss Alicia on the cheek and gathered his coat, then walked to the front of the house. Keith took his phone out and dialed Cliff while locking the door behind him.

“What can I do for you, Keith?” Cliff said when he picked up on his end.

“Can you talk to the judge handing the Navarro case? I need to bring Eli with me to talk to a suspect, and I want assurances that this won’t be held against him,” Keith explained.

If anyone could get through to Chardo, another member of the Navarro clan was the best bet, and Keith didn’t want to involve any of those other poor kids. He knew of their checkered past - Veronica had explained as much, though Keith remembered some of it from when it happened - but Weevil had a strong sense of family and might be their best chance to appeal to the piece of Chardo that cared about his family.

“I can ask. When did you want to take Eli with you?” Cliff asked.

“I’m already in my car. I’m going to call Veronica after we hang up, so she can talk to him before I get there.”

“I’ll get right on it. I hope you know what you’re doing, Keith.”

After they hung up, Keith thought glumly,  _ So do I _ .

...

Veronica closed her cell phone, relaxing herself into Logan’s chest in her guest bedroom. They’d finally decided to spend a night at Wallace’s. She rolled over and glanced up at him from beneath her lashes. “I’m going to have to call Weevs in a sec, Lo,” she said, reaching up to gently press her lips to his. 

Stretching her arms up after breaking the kiss, Veronica asked, “You want to come to the kitchen with me? Maybe Wallace has breakfast on.”

She only had a little more than a week left before she was scheduled to head back to Stanford now, and Wallace deserved more of her time. They’d really been neglecting him with everything going on with Dick, Carrie, and Weevil. She didn’t think Wallace would be mad about it, but best friend code required in-person appearances here and then.

Logan nodded his agreement, so she reached for him. They’d slept in decently appropriate pajamas as a courtesy to Wallace and Nathan.

They walked, their hands clasped together, down the hallway, toward the noises signalling conversation. As Veronica crossed the entrance to the kitchen, she heard Wallace laugh and say, “Derrick Rose will be great, pops.”

“We have high standards for our Bulls, Wallace,” Nathan said, flipping through the newspaper. “He scored 22 last night, but we still lost. I don’t want someone dropping empty points.”

“Give him some time, Dad. He’s a rookie,” Wallace argued.

Logan cleared his throat, drawing their attention to the couple in the doorway. “Are we interrupting something?” her boyfriend asked, a twinkle in his eyes.

“Nah,” Wallace said. “I made some eggs. Plates are by the stove,” he added, gesturing in that general direction.

“I have to call Weevil right now - wanna listen in, buddy?” Veronica asked.

He seemed to consider it, then nodded. “OK, but only because I know Echolls here is gonna wanna hear what Weevs has to say, so you’re gonna put it on speaker anyway.”

Veronica laughed, filled her plate, then sat down next to her temporary family. Dialing Weevil’s cell number, she waited to hear his voice pick up on the other end. Glancing at the clock, she suddenly hoped he was even  _ awake _ at the relatively early hour. It wouldn’t be ideal if her dad showed up and Weevil wasn’t there.

“Hello?” 

“Oh, thank goodness. Mornin’, Weevil.”

“V, you do realize some of us have lives, right? Why the fuck are you calling?” he asked groggily.

She heard a feminine voice on the other end and realized with a start that Jade must have been there, too. “Oops. Sorry to interrupt your lady time.” She sobered. “My dad is coming to pick you up. Can Jade stay at your house?”

“Uh, I guess. Why is the Sheriff coming here, V?”

She hesitated. “We found out something yesterday. I didn’t want to worry you until we had a reason, but we think we know what happened to you.”

Weevil breathed heavily on the other end for a minute, and Veronica took the opportunity to glance at Logan. He squeezed her hand, reassuring her. 

“And?” Weevil asked.

“What we know,” she started, “is that Good Ol’ Chardo is still following Caitlin Ford around like a puppy. There are a whole lot of other moving parts, but the bottom line is, it appears your criminal cousin conned someone in your family into stealing the machine for him, and he passed it along to either Caitlin or someone else he works with, who started this operation.” 

“What the fuck, V? How long have you known this?” Weevil shouted, and she could hear Jade trying to calm him on the other end.

“Since last night. Dad found Chardo this morning,” she rushed on. Shit, she probably  _ should _ have called him to let him know. She planned to today, but hadn’t thought the case would move so quickly.”

“OK.” He took a deep breath, the rush of air audible through the speaker. “So, when is your dad coming to get me? I’m guessing he wants help dealing with Chardo.”

“Yeah. He should be to your place any minute now, I’d guess. Can you be ready soon?”

“Damn, V. Yeah. Fuck.” She heard Weevil whispering to Jade, but couldn’t make out any of the words. “I’ll keep a look out for him. I’ll try to get Chardo talking.”

She smiled, thinking back to their conversation the other day. Weevil hadn’t mentioned his cousin during his list of regrets, but it wouldn’t shock her if the deterioration of that relationship weighed on her friend’s mind.

“Thanks, Weevs. I’ll text my dad and let him know.”

They exchanged quick goodbyes before hanging up. Logan stood up and walked behind her, wrapping his arms around her in a hug. Resting his chin on her shoulder, he whispered, “You did fine, Veronica. He was safe yesterday, and it would’ve just ruined his night.”

“I should’ve at least texted him about the shooting,” she said.

“Yeah, you’re gonna have to expand on that a little bit,” Wallace said. She’d forgotten he was even there.

Smiling at her best friend, Veronica merely said, “Boy, do I have a story for you, Wallace.”

...

Weevil kissed Jade hard and passionately when he heard the honk outside. He didn’t think things would get out of hand, but in Neptune, you could never be sure. 

Stepping down the stairs to meet the Sheriff, he let his thoughts drift to Chardo. It’d been... Shit, four years since he’d seen him, maybe? His last memory of his cousin, left to the clutches of his boys, stuck with him.

He didn’t regret letting V help catch Chardo, but he should have tried more to be there for his cousin, despite feeling betrayed. If only because family mattered. He hated Chardo’s actions so much  _ because _ of that fact. When all of this friends abandoned him - whether through their own prerogative or not - he realized the important of keeping his relatives close.

“Sheriff,” he greeted, opening the passenger side door. “What’s the plan?”

Keith drove off once Weevil had strapped in, then replied. “We need to get him alone. He’s the key to all of this. I need you to try and get through to him. If you can break him, or get your point across, or whatever, he can clear you, and possibly lead us to Cobb.”

Weevil didn’t know the full extent of the situation with Cobb. V hadn’t mentioned it, but he’d seen on the news that their former classmate was now wanted for the attempted murder of Carrie Bishop. Nobody else was mentioned, but Weevil wasn’t surprised that the Mars family was involved in that case, too. “V didn’t really go into details on this one. Said something about moving parts.”

“Yeah,” Keith said. “It’s complicated. It seems like Cobb, Sean Friedrich, Troy Vandergraff, Caitlin Ford, and Chardo all work for the same people and are heavily involved in a drug enterprise.” Keith paused, focusing on the road for a moment as they wound their way out of Weevil’s neighborhood. “They branched out to begin mass-producing fraudulent debit IDs with your machine, using you as a scapegoat when that part of the operation fell apart.”

Weevil nodded. It made a twisted kind of sense. “So Chardo got one of my cousins to trust him and take it for him.”

“Seems like it.” The Sheriff turned and assessed Weevil with kind, understanding eyes. “You think you’ll be able to talk him into turning himself in?”

“Dunno. I burned the guy. Left him to bleed, sicced my boys on him.” He planned to call on their childhoods, the bonds they had before Caitlin Fucking Ford got her claws into him. “Gotta try, though. V says this could be our best shot.”

“Yeah,” Keith said absently. He was ultra-focused on the road now, clearly lost in thought. He turned the wheel and directed the car down an alleyway near the River Stix. Weevil had typically avoided this area after threatening Liam Fitzpatrick to save his former gang.

Of  _ course _ Chardo would be holed up around here. The car rolled to a stop in front of a small, white, broken-down house. Keith turned and made sure he had Weevil’s attention before he spoke. “You cannot, and I meant  _ cannot _ strike Chardo. He’s a potential witness and you’re a suspect in this case still. The judge owes Cliff a favor, so you can come along with me. I’m not actually police, and we’re just going to talk. If you assault your cousin, the judge won’t be able to help us here.”

Weevil nodded. “Wasn’t planning on it.”

Once they’d gotten out of the car, Keith walked around to peer inside the most visible window, while Weevil wondered how they knew Chardo would be alone. As far as he was concerned, there was every chance that Caitlin chica was in the house with his cousin. The Sheriff must’ve confirmed it somehow, because this never would work with that manipulative witch around.

When Keith came back, he knocked on the front door, throwing Weevil for a loop. They were going to just walk in like this?

Chardo opened the door, shirtless, clearly not giving a fuck about who was on the other side. He took in Keith first, a slight, barely perceptible widening of his eyes the only sign he recognized the man. Then, he shifted his attention to Weevil, his expression sliding into a sneer. Chardo tried to close the door on them, but Keith stuck a foot out and stopped the effort in its tracks.

“Mind if we come in, Mr. Navarro?” Keith asked, a picture of politeness, and Weevil had to give it up to him. Fuck Logan’s bastard father,  _ V’s _ deserved an Oscar. From the back, the gun tucked away in Keith’s back pocket gave Weevil the confidence to step into the doorway and push the issue.

“Hey, cuz,” he said, glancing around. “Nice place you’ve got here. Mind if we sit?”

Chardo appeared to give up the idea that they were going to leave quietly. “Fine. What do you two want?”

“Come on, Chardo. Why did you do it? Revenge? Payback for four years ago?” Weevil asked.

He sneered. “Some of it was about that, yeah. You fucking betrayed me. I had bruises for  _ weeks _ . The boys beat me so badly.”

“Why the hell are you mixed up with that trash, again, dude?” Weevil asked. He didn’t fucking understand what it was about Caitlin Ford that had his cousin in a vicegrip. “She’s with Vandergraff, from what the Sheriff tells me.” He glanced at Keith, continuing after the nod. “Chardo, what are you into? We can help.”

His cousin scoffed. “No, you can’t. These people have money, and power, Weevil. I couldn’t get out if I wanted to. The shit yesterday, with Cobbler? That’s just scratching the surface.”

Keith looked like he wanted to say something at the reference to the other case, but Weevil held up a hand. 

“So flee, man,” he said. “You tellin’ me you stole this machine and didn’t make a fake ID for yourself before passing it along?” Chardo looked down. “That’s what I thought. Get the fuck out of town. Sheriff,” he said, turning to face Keith. “Do you have that FBI agent’s number? The one who investigated Pretty Boy Kane’s disappearance?”

Keith shook his head. “Don’t think so, but I’m sure Cliff can set us up. What’re you thinking?”

“Chardo, please. Turn yourself into the FBI. Get out from under this. You’re gonna end up dead. You’re fucking family, man. Just... For yourself, broker a deal with them. Turn informant. I’m sure they would treat you like a hero if you help them bring down this organization.”

Chardo appeared to be considering it, so Weevil played a card he hoped would drive home the message. “For Abuela, man. Think about what it would do to the family if you turned up dead. Dunno which of the clan you got to steal the damned thing, but think about what it would do to  _ them _ ?” He paused, letting that sink in. “I don’t give a shit if you hate me. I should’ve tried harder to help you back then. Don’t get me wrong, you were a fuckin’ asshole, but you’re family. You needed us.”

Nodding, Chardo finally spoke. “Fine. You get me a deal from the FBI, in writing, that gets me into witness protection  _ first _ .” He held up a hand to forestall Keith’s protest. “No, I’m guaranteed my safety first. After that, I’ll give you details on everyone I know of. They’ve got connections with the Sorokin and Fitzpatrick families, too.”

Holy  _ fuck _ . From the Sheriff’s scared eyes, he hadn’t realized how goddamned twisted the entire situation was, either. The FBI would pay a fucking king’s ransom for this information, and they were going to get it for free from Chardo. Shit, he was right. There was no way he would get away without anyone trying to murder him first.

As if reading Weevil’s mind, Keith spoke up. “We need something to keep their attention off you until after the FBI deal is official. Do you know where Cobb is hiding?”

Chardo nodded.

“Help me catch that bastard, then. If I call the FBI in for Cobb, then your bosses won’t be suspicious that they’re in town, and I can get you your deal,” Keith offered.

“You shouldn’t even stay here in case they have this place bugged, cuz. Or if anyone saw us coming in. You got anywhere to stay?”

At his shake of the head, Weevil cursed inside his head. “I might know a place.” Jade was going to kill him, but Chardo’s bosses didn’t know about her, and she might like the opportunity to stay several nights at Weevil’s place. He hoped.

Not saying any of that aloud in case Chardo’s organization indeed had the place tapped, Weevil just got up. “How about we hit the road and you can tell the Sheriff where Cobb is in the car, man?”

When Chardo nodded his head, the trio got up and walked to the door. 

Weevil had a feeling things could still get worse, but he at least had hope. His faith in V and their misfit band of friends had been rewarded. He’d known they’d find a way, but seeing the light at the end of the tunnel was even better.

...

Keith approached the large mansion with apprehension. He had no real reason to doubt Chardo’s word, but this was the last fucking place he ever would have expected Cobbler to be hiding out. 

Detective D’Amato flanked his left, Sheriff Van Lowe on his right. Patting down his back pocket one last time to be sure, Keith knocked on the grey wooden door, stepping back to wait.

There were three cars on the winding driveway, though he only recognized one of them, the bright red car he’d heard his daughter rant about after her last break-up with Logan.

The couple who opened the door didn’t appear surprised to see him, so Keith sighed. “Mr. and Mrs. Sinclair. May we come in?”

Mr. Sinclair looked resigned, but stepped aside. “He’s in Madison’s room. Sorry, Vinnie,” he said, looking appropriately contrite.

Keith shook his head, drew his gun, and walked quietly down the hallway, approaching the last door on the right. Leo had San Diego Police surrounding the home, out of sight, and Vinnie’d stationed a few deputies down the road, establishing a weak perimeter. None of them knew what to expect from Cobb; he’d shown himself capable of murder, and they suspected he’d be armed.

Stepping aside to let Vinnie handle the interrogation portion of the evening, Keith stood, waiting. Vinnie knocked on the door, shouting, “Neptune Sheriff’s Department!” as he did so.

None of them heard any movement from inside, but Keith didn’t think Mr. Sinclair had misled them. Even if Cobb escaped, he’d just be captured outside. He observed the way the doors were spaced, trying to figure out what angle Cobb would have to possibly shoot at them when they breached the room. Once he had it figured out, he motioned for Vinnie and Leo to step to the left of the door.

Keith held up a hand and counted down on his fingers, whispering alongside the motion. At, “One,” Leo kicked the door in.

Contrary to what Keith had feared, they were met with silence. No, that wasn’t right... There was...  _ Ugh _ . Didn’t he get enough of this shit with his own daughter? He glanced at the Sinclairs, who were looking at the floor. 

Leo walked into the room and snorted. Following, Keith took in the expected sight of the couple naked and entwined in the sheets. Vinnie just started laughing.

“Stu Cobbler, you have the right to remain silent,” Leo started, keeping his gun trained on the bed. “And don’t make any sudden movement. I know you have a gun, and I won’t hesitate to shoot.”

Keith really fucking hoped it didn’t come to that. He’d drawn his gun as a precaution, but they needed Cobb alive to really sink this operation. He knew Veronica still feared for Logan’s life after the whole Gory Sorokin incident, and the opportunity to reassure her they were safe was worth nailing Cobb to the wall.

Cobb slowly turned around, lifting the blanket off of him. He shielded Madison’s body with his, but they were clearly still in the middle of sex. 

Disturbed, Keith glanced at her dresser, spying a handgun. “Vinnie,” he said, nodding at the weapon.

“Pretty stupid to leave this thing in the open, Cobbler. Think if I run ballistics on it, I’ll find a match to the bullet that broke Gia Goodman’s vase?”

Smirking, Keith watched Leo keep the gun on Cobb as the other man peeled himself off Madison, hurriedly threw pants on, and carelessly tossed on a shirt.

“Good call,” Leo said, reaching around to clasp the cuffs around Cobb’s wrist.

Turning to Madison, who’d reached for the blanket once Cobb abandoned her, Keith spoke. “Vinnie, want to do the honors and book Miss Sinclair for obstruction of justice and harboring a fugitive?”

“Madison had no idea he was wanted,” Mr. Sinclair spoke, from just outside the doorway. 

Keith snorted.  _ Yeah, sure _ . “Do you want to call a lawyer, or can I question Madison myself? Actually, I’m not police. Madison, why were you with Mr. Cobbler?”

“Revenge,” she shrugged. Vinnie smirked and gestured for Mr. Sinclair to hold out his wrists after the older man’s admission sank in.

“Why did you need revenge?”

“After I fucked Logan,” she revealed, smirking nastily when Keith gasped, the pieces clicking into place, “Dick Casablancas fucking  _ ruined _ me. All of my friends ignored me for breaking some sort of code by banging my ex’s best friend. As if they all didn’t want to be with him.” She rolled her eyes, sticking her nose up haughtily. 

Keith finally understood his daughter’s reaction two years ago, but also knew they’d been broken up for awhile. The way Logan got after their breakups? There was no doubt in his mind the kid had been shitfaced, but Veronica always held a particular brand of disdain for Madison. She would’ve held it against Logan for ages. “Go on.”

“I overheard Cobb here talking at a party about how much he hated Logan because of how little effort he needed to put in to get women to fall at his feet. Me. Hannah Griffith. Kendall Casablancas. Lilly Kane. Your bitch of a daughter.” 

Keith ground his teeth together, but impressively kept his cool. He hadn’t yet gotten a confession that she knew Cobb was wanted. “Go on,” he prodded.

“Cobb wanted to lace Gia Goodman’s drugs so he could kill her - I guess she’d rejected him - and catch Logan in a compromising position, maybe even frame him,” Madison continued, apparently not even realizing she’d just confessed to a murder plot - though Cobb had, by the way his face fell. “Then Fucking Logan had to go and become a hockey player. He and his bastard best friend cancelled. How is Dick, by the way? Hope his concussion isn’t too bad,” she said, that nasty, horrendous smile finding its way to her face again.

Keith returned suit. “Wanna do the honors, Vinnie?”

“Gladly, Keith,” Vinnie said. “You’re under arrest for harboring a fugitive and obstruction of justice, Miss Sinclair. Anything you... “

As Vinnie read the girl her Miranda Rights, Keith walked to the doorway, satisfied. He turned and addressed her one last time, catching Mr. Sinclair’s eye. “Oh, and Madison? Since you thought it’d be so nice to tell me you slept with my daughter’s boyfriend years ago, I feel it’s fair to warn Vinnie you slept with my predecessor, so he should be careful.”

His last parting shot done, Keith left the room, knowing that may have been petty, but he finally understood the depths to his daughter’s hatred for Madison Sinclair.


	27. Curve Ball

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A huge, huge thank you to CubbieGirl1723 for her help beta-reading this, and for convincing me the last scene is OK to publish. My curve ball here threw me for a loop, too, and had me addressing a topic I'd somewhat avoided 15ish chapters ago and didn't think would come back up this story.
> 
> TW: discussion of sexual assault & Shelly Pomroy's party. Skip the fourth/last scene if you want to.

_January 5, 2009_

Logan woke up feeling refreshed. It was a Monday morning, which sucked, but they could finally enjoy their time together without worrying about anyone back in Neptune. Or Wallace.

Dick was OK, and healing. Carrie and Gia were finally out from under Cobb, and with Chardo’s help, the entire operation would be shut down and Weevil allowed to walk free.

Even Vinnie Van Lowe couldn’t ignore all the evidence indicating Weevil had been framed. All Keith had to do was point to the FBI agents they’d called in and Vinnie toed the line.

Reaching for his girlfriend, Logan pulled her snug against him, relishing her naked back rustling his chest hair. He kissed the top of her head, grinning when she turned in their embrace and smiled up at him. “Good morning, hun.”

She wrinkled her nose. “Nope. This isn’t one of those moments. Pick something else.”

Logan laughed and slid down the mattress so they were face to face. He kissed her sweetly, swallowing any nickname-related protests she still had. Their easygoing banter, and the way she could coax complete devotion from him with one ‘Honeybunches’ or ‘Muffin’, was just one of the many things he loved about her. “How great is this, Veronica?”

It hit him then. This was the _first_ time they could truly relax since they’d gotten together. It had been passion, holidays, hockey, then cases. A constant overload of excitement and danger, the type of mixture they’d both craved before. Now, Logan was relieved to have some down time.

“It’s pretty good,” Veronica whispered, kissing him again. 

They melted into one another this time, Logan sliding his hand down to the small of her back, holding her close. Just as he thought they might take things further, his cell phone rang.

Logan reached over for it, and answered with a harsh, “Hello?”

“Logan,” Coach Dave’s voice came through. “I hope it’s not a bad time. I wanted to call and give you some good news.” Logan’s heart beat faster. It wasn’t possible already, was it? “Not the best kind of news, but good nonetheless. You’ve been chosen as a replacement for the Central Division All Star team.”

Logan couldn’t have prevented the grin splitting his face had he tried. “That’s really cool, Coach,” he said, choking up a little.

“You’ve played great, son. The team can provide flight accommodations for you,” he said. “The events start on Thursday, and stretch until Sunday. We resume practice Tuesday, the thirteenth.”

“Where is it?” Logan asked, glancing over at Veronica. This was a real curve ball to their plans. He didn’t want to cut his time with her short, but the All Star game was an opportunity to make a name for himself. If he scored against the best goalies in the entire minor league circuit, it could put Blackhawks brass on alert. 

“Anaheim, actually. I thought you knew that since you played for the Reign before the trade,” Coach Dave told him.

_Oh. Fucking duh_ , Logan thought. He’d found that cool at the time. “Right.” He chuckled. “I forgot.”

“Congratulations, Logan. Either I or your agent will be in touch with travel details,” his coach said, then hung up.

Veronica waited all of five seconds before pouncing with questions. “Well? What was that?”

Fearing how she was going to take this, Logan first reached down and took her hands. “Well, some... interesting... news. I made the All Star team,” he said with a big, goofy smile. 

“That’s amazing, Lo!” she exclaimed, grabbing his face between her palms and kissing him hard and urgent, channeling all of her love into the gesture. “I’m really fucking proud of you, Logan. Of the person you’ve become. I don’t think I’ve said that enough.”

“And I’m proud of who you are, too, Veronica. You handled all of this investigating really well lately,” Logan praised her. He paused, hesitant. “The, uh, game... It’s in Anaheim, California.”

“Oh.” Veronica’s face fell. “When?”

He twiddled with his thumbs before speaking. “This weekend. And then you’re going back to Stanford on Monday,” he said, feeling the despair and longing already.

“Are you going to be busy the entire time?” she asked.

Thinking about it for a second, Logan shook his head. “Shouldn’t be.”

“Then let’s see if Wallace wouldn’t mind leaving a little earlier and we make a trip to see Dad.”

Veronica sat up in the bed and slid the sheet down over her breasts. The sight made Logan’s prick come to attention, but her words made him pause. “You want to come with me?”

“Yeah,” she said, as if it were no big deal.

Except... Though they’d basically turned this month in Chicago into a vacation, they’d never _actually_ gone away together. Traveling back to Neptune wasn’t exactly how he would’ve drawn it up, but it mattered that Veronica wanted to do this _with him_.

“OK,” Logan agreed. He reached over and pulled her back to him. “But before we leave the safety of our little cocoon, you wanna?” He nodded at the bed, and the sheets messily strewn between them, waggling his eyebrows.

“Sure, you perv,” Veronica said, giggling. Then she kissed him.

...

For the second morning in a row, Wallace was reading the sports section of the newspaper with his father when Veronica and Logan strolled into the kitchen. He wrinkled his nose in disgust when he spied his best friend’s ‘just got fucked’ hairdo. Nathan noticed and laughed under his breath.

“The only good part about not being around two of my best friends all the time will be _not_ knowing what your post-sex hair looks like, Supafly. Good morning, though,” he added as an afterthought. 

Wallace was distracted by more than just their tendency to do it like rabbits. While his friends had slept, he’d had another talk with his dad about Tamara; her mother was still resisting the idea of the two siblings meeting, but Nathan felt confident that was changing. Wallace could only hope. He really fucking wanted to meet Tamara. He’d thought about secretly getting Veronica on the case and contacting his sister outside of Nathan, but it would probably do more harm than good.

Shaking himself out of his thoughts, he watched as Logan inserted a regular K cup into the Keurig and started brewing his coffee. Veronica sat in the chair across from him, and - _Oh no_. She had that look on her face, the one where Wallace fucking knew he was going to really dislike whatever came next. “Hit me with it, Veronica.”

“Logan made the All Star team,” she began, only to be cut off.

“Shit, congrats, dude!” Wallace said, nodding in Logan’s general direction.

“As I was saying,” Veronica continued nonplussed, “Logan made his league’s All Star team, and the game is in Anaheim. We’re thinking of heading home for the rest of winter break to see Dad, go to the game, and then spend some time with the rest of our friends.”

Glancing at Nathan, Wallace considered what that would mean. While the purpose of going to Chicago was to see his dad, having Logan and Veronica around maintained some superfluous distance between them. It kept Wallace from needing to spend _every_ waking moment around the house. But... Things were going back to normal soon. “That would be fun for y’all.”

“Silly Wallace. If it’s OK with Nathan, we want you to come, too,” Veronica said.

“You should go, Wallace,” his dad said, surprising everyone else in the room. “It’s been wonderful to see you, but you can go to the game, support Logan, and spend more time with Veronica before she heads back to Stanford,” he said, the logic sound and difficult for Wallace to argue against. “We got to spend plenty of time together the last few days while they were busy, and once Tamara’s mother comes around, I’ll try to come to Neptune.”

Damn. “That’d be great, Dad. It would be cool to show you some sights back home.” Wallace choked up a little at the thought. He’d gotten used to the idea of his birth father being back in his life, but the last month, and the sister revelation, served to drive home the point further - he wanted to share memories with his family going forward more than ever.

“So, go with Veronica and Logan whenever they fly out - tomorrow?” Nathan asked, turning to face the couple. At Logan’s nod, he continued. “Tomorrow. Have fun, and come visit again whenever you want. Hopefully, I can take more days off next time around.”

Wallace impulsively hugged his father, happy that everything worked out in the way it did. He could have his cake and eat it too, and it was damned delicious.

“Oh, God,” Veronica groaned from next to him. “I have to _pack!_ ”

_Fuck_. So did he.

...

Weevil picked up his phone on the second ring, seeing it was V. “Hey.”

“How’re you doing, Weevs?” she asked.

“Could be better, but could also definitely be worse. After your pops arrested Cobb yesterday, I’m worried they’ll come after Chardo,” Weevil said.

V sighed. “Yeah. How did Jade take the whole ‘criminal cousin needs to crash at your place, babe’ thing?”

Weevil laughed at how nonchalant she made it all sound. Drug dealers, attempted murders, harboring criminals temporarily, even for good reasons... That was a regular tuesday for Veronica Mars. Smirking, even though she couldn’t see over the phone, Weevil laughed. “She handled it as well as you’d guess. She was mad, and scared, but stayed, and Chardo should be safe.”

“My dad told me about what you did there. You were great, Weevil,” V said. And, fuck, she sounded _proud_ of him. He glanced at Jade, napping on the couch despite the afternoon hour. These two girls would be the death of him.

Back when he’d been with Lilly, in whatever capacity that had been, he knew who Veronica was. Lilly gushed about how great her best friend would be some day, and he’d just shaken his head, used to Lilly’s particular brand of lavishness. Then he’d actually met the badass private investigator and instantly knew how right the Kane heiress had been. 

“Thanks, V. Our talk the other day wasn’t platitudes and bullshit. I meant it. Got a lot of regrets in life,” Weevil said. He hadn’t meant to get so damned emotional on the phone with her, but she understood him in a way few others did in his life. “What are you calling for, anyway?”

“Mostly to avoid packing.” She laughed. “Also just wanted to check in about Chardo.”

“What do you mean, packing? Aren’t you staying another week?” He’d thought he had more time. With all the shit going on lately, he’d never gotten the chance to talk to V about how her relationship with Echolls was going to work after Chicago. _Fuck!_

“I was,” V began, “but Logan is on the All Star game roster, so we’re coming home.”

“Like, to Neptune? Damn, it’ll be nice to see you, V. Just you and Logan?” Weevil asked, turning to look at Jade. They’d get to meet his girlfriend for the first time. Fuck, the last time he’d seen Logan, they’d been enemies. He’d believed so many half truths and lies about the guy. Why did the thought of Jade meeting his friends make him so goddamned fucking nervous? What if V didn’t approve of her? What if _she_ didn’t approve of _V_?

He didn’t know who he would choose if forced. V was like a sister to him these days, and his time with the Sheriff hammered that home. The Mars family was _his_ family. But he really, really liked Jade. Weevil could see a future with a girl for the first time since he fell hard for Lilly Kane, except this girl actually respected him enough to date him exclusively.

“Weevil? You there still?” V asked, bringing his mind back to the conversation at hand.

“Yeah? Did you say something?”

“I said Wallace is coming with us, too. You OK?”

Oh, perfect - he’d get a chance to ask Fennel if the two lovebirds had actually fucking discussed how their long-distance arrangement would work. Or... “V, what’s happening after?”

“After what? The All Star weekend?” she asked.

“Yeah. Logan goes back to Chicago, and you head to Stanford. Then what?”

“I date him. We video chat or call each other daily, and we share every aspect of our lives with one another,” Veronica explained. “We want to visit our respective cities whenever possible. Logan’s job has a lot of summer downtime, so he plans to spend them with me each year, and I’m gonna visit him on breaks.”

Good. Fucking very good - they’d at least had the wherewithal to actually discuss this. That made it easier. “So, are you OK with that?”

“Not really,” V admitted. “I’m going to miss him a shitton, Weevs.”

“Yeah, V. I know. What are you gonna do about it, though?”

“Would it be crazy to transfer to a school in Chicago? I know Logan’s job is very... Well, he already got traded once, and the Blackhawks’ schedule would be even more sporadic than the Wolves’ when he gets called up.

Weevil noted the surety in her tone. “I don’t think it would be _crazy_ , really. No more than bugging a confessional.” He smirked. “Find out how easy it would be to do, and then put the idea away for a few months, stew on it, and see how you feel about it in, say, April. Logan might not want to stay in Chicago during his offseason, though. Remember that.” Weevil paused and let that sink in. “If he wants to leave Chicago during summers, you being there negates that.”

“Damn, Eli Navarro. When the hell did you get so wise?” V joked.

But he heard the truth in her voice. It wasn’t that she’d thought he was stupid before; they both knew better. He applied himself better now, actually giving a fuck about the people around him.

“About the same time you realized you were being stubborn stayin’ away from Echolls.”

“So, like, two weeks ago.” She laughed. “I’ll take your advice under consideration, Weevs. I have time, after I head back.” She paused, then pivoted. “For this week, though, we get in tomorrow, and we’re going to have dinner with Dad. He wants to see Logan. The weekend stuff is Thursday through Sunday, with the actual game on the Sunday, I think.”

“So you’ll be around most of the week, then?”

“Yeah,” V said. “I want to see Mac, and Logan will want to hang out with Dick, I’m sure. The guy’s out of the hospital today, I think. Carrie and Gia are being released soon, too.”

It was insane that Weevil’s social circle kept expanding to include more fucking 09ers. He’d spent his entire damned childhood associating with as few rich kids as possible, but one friendship with V later, he had to deal with a group of money-flaunting asshats by association.

“We can arrange something. I don’t mind seeing Mac and Wallace, and I’ll suck it up and chill with anyone else who’s around,” Weevil conceded. 

“I’ll text you after I speak to Logan about it, then. Good talking with you, Weevs. Thanks for the advice,” V said, then she hung up, leaving Weevil with the silence and the soft sounds of Jade’s breathing.

That’d gone decently well. She was taking everything seriously, and he had a feeling it’d be OK.

...

Dick was getting antsy waiting for the hospital to sign the release papers. He honestly didn’t even know why it’d taken so long in the first place. When Logan had concussion symptoms before Christmas, he’d only been admitted overnight.

Mac and Susan were in the room with him; his girlfriend had stayed most of the time, leaving only for food and to help Carrie with paperwork. Mac was needed less, so she came during visiting hours to check in.

The light chirp of a phone told Dick someone had a new text message. He glanced at his phone on instinct, even though he hadn’t recognized the sound as his own. 

Mac looked down, then glanced at him. “Veronica just texted me. She and Logan are coming to California tomorrow for an impromptu trip. Logan made the AHL All Star game.”

Grinning with happiness, Dick thought about how far his best friend had come. Logan was practically family, and had made something extraordinary of himself. 

Then, the rest of Mac’s words sunk into his brain, and he became immediately anxious. _Veronica_ was coming to town. That was a fucking curve ball to his day. The last conversation they’d had before the Carrie situation rolled around in his mind. He’d asked for a chance to apologize to her.

Dick looked at Susan, suddenly hesitant. He needed some advice, but his girlfriend hadn’t been involved in any of this, and truthfully he was too ashamed already to talk to someone who wasn’t already involved about it. Mac knew bits and pieces of how he’d tormented Beaver. She was safer. Plus, she had to have _some_ inkling of what Ronnie’d been through.

“Mac, could you do me a favor and grab a Coke for me? There are some singles in my wallet,” he offered.

She nodded and took the bills, leaving the room, and the couple to their silence.

“Susan,” he started. “When Mac gets back, there’s something I want to talk to her about.” He held up a hand to stop her protest. “It’s personal, and not just for me. If it were just me, I’d be more open to including you, but it’s not, and Mac is already kind of involved. Can you... Trust me, please?” he tried.

Susan nodded and walked over to him, kissing him lightly on the lips. “I’ll go check in and see how Alexa’s doing, OK?” she whispered into his lips, then pecked his lips one more time.

Dick smiled into her embrace. “Thank you.”

Left to his thoughts, Dick thought about how to bring this topic up without risking Mac hating him. God, he probably deserved her hate.

He hadn’t gotten any further in making a plan when Mac walked back in, soda in hand. “Where’d Susan go?” she asked.

“Check up on Alexa, and give me a chance to talk to you,” he said.

“OK,” Mac replied, confused. “What’s up?”

“You should probably take a seat,” Dick said, his voice somber. Once she did so, he continued. “I, uh... This is tough to talk about, so just let me get it out, OK?”

“Sure,” Mac said.

“I need help. I need to apologize to someone for something I did years ago, and I don’t know what to do.” He knew, in the back of his mind, that calling her Veronica wouldn’t be fair to Ronnie’s privacy.

“It’s about Beaver. Ugh. Let me start at the beginning. Or, well, the beginning of when I realized how badly I fucked up, yeah?” He’d known it the moment he discovered Woody Goodman had an STD. He’d always wondered how Veronica knew that Beaver was the murderer. What had clued her in? When he found that out, Dick knew.

God, that’d been a fucking brutal realization. After Dick finally dealt with Beaver’s death the end of his freshman year, he tried to spend as much time as possible reading up on Goodman. He read other interviews with victims. Others had come forward, after Woody’d been arrested. One of them mentioned they got chlamydia from him. 

He’d heard the rumors that Veronica Mars had an STD after the Echolls trial. Her testimony should’ve been kept under wraps, but too many 09ers hated Veronica. Logan had squashed the spread of it quickly, and, at the time, Dick hadn’t known what to think. For all he’d teased her, he was pretty sure she’d only been with Duncan, and maybe Logan during that summer. 

Logan was safe, and Dick _thought_ Duncan was, but he’d seen that guy do some seriously whacked out shit over the years.

“God, this is such a fucked up thing to say, but I’m glad you didn’t have sex with him, Mackie.”

“Dick, what...?” she trailed off.

“I didn’t think he’d do it,” he choked out. “I know. I know it doesn’t matter, believe me. Shelly Pomroy had a party halfway through sophomore year. A girl I knew showed up and got sloshed. I think, now that I’ve run over this night a hundred times in my mind, that she might have gotten accidentally dosed with GHB at the party.” Once he’d started thinking about everything that night, he realized Madison never really seemed like she was under the influence, and, fuck, how messed up was he that he’d ever thought doing that to his girlfriend without talking to her first was OK?

“Keep going,” Mac said.

He didn’t see judgment in her eyes - yet. But she didn’t know the full extent to how fucking horrendous he’d been. It had been right after Lilly was murdered, and Logan had been so fucking hurt that she chose her dad. But what they’d done to her... He honestly had no fucking idea what to say to Veronica. “I carried her to a side bedroom,” he continued. “I, fuck... She was so out of it. I put her on a bed and made a _fucking joke_ to Beaver, telling her she was ready and willing. Ready and fucking willing, Mac. I left this girl alone in a room with my completely fucked-up-in-the-head brother, and told him she was really and willing and that he should lose his virginity.”

Mac was crying silent tears now. A part of him thought it was a really shitty thing to be spilling something so personal about Veronica in public, but he’d kept her name out of it, and he didn’t want to risk re-traumatizing Veronica by bringing it up and apologizing for it insensitively.

“I didn’t think he’d do it. I really didn’t. Whole thing was about torturing Beav, but, fuck... I put this girl on a silver platter for a rape victim, and he fucking raped her, too. It doesn’t matter that I didn’t think he had that in him, right? It doesn’t matter. And I don’t have the right to feel upset, yet I do. This girl is the one wronged here. We were all complete fucking assholes to her, and I put her in a position where anyone could take advantage of her - and my own little brother did.”

Mac wiped ineffectively at her eyes. “Dick, I’m proud of you that you _want_ to apologize to this person. I’m not an expert here. I don’t have all the answers. I don’t know if she’s properly dealt with what happened to her, or if she hasn’t. If she hasn’t, it might just bring up awful memories for her. You could apologize to her in some capacity at some point, but make sure she knows you aren’t apologizing for you. Whether she forgives you, or not... It’s about her, not you. Think about that.”

“God, this sounds so fucking selfish, but... Do you hate me because of this?” Dick asked, the possibility physically hurting his heart.

That Mac didn’t answer immediately fucking stung. “No,” she said finally. “I don’t think so. But it’s not my place to forgive you, or give you what you want. This girl is the one your actions harmed. I’ve gotten to know you. I have to believe you wouldn’t have knowingly left Beaver with her if you thought he was like that. And, hello, I dated your brother. He had us _all_ fooled. He hid his own trauma well.”

Dick got that. He’d gone over the last few years of his brother’s life countless times, and wondered if he’d missed the signs. Everyone always said there were warnings, little things people did before they committed mass murder, but he’d never gotten that vibe from his brother, and it made him doubt his... Well, it made him wonder how good he was at reading people that he’d fucked up so badly and never seen what Beaver was.

“I hate myself, but you’re right. It’s not about me. I’ve known for awhile I wanted to make amends with her, but I’m not sure it’s what _she_ needs, and I don’t know if anyone knows that. I’ve never... I don’t have experience to draw from here, Mackie. How do you apologize for this?”

“You broach it carefully and make sure she’s OK talking about it; if she’s not, you don’t go there. If she is, you use active apology verbs. Don’t say ‘if’ at all. What you did, it hurt her. There’s no ‘if’ about it. Then talk about what you’re doing to be better, if she’s OK with that. Just... Don’t try to deflect blame. Own it, and own the consequences. It’s the right thing to do.

Dick nodded. They fell into a contemplative silence, then. His thoughts were consumed by worry, both that he was the type of person who could get into this situation in the first place, and the irrational, selfish fear he’d lose Logan’s friendship.

He could never actually atone for his actions, but trying to take first steps... It was still the right thing to do.


	28. Illegal Use of Hands

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to CubbieGirl1723 for her help sorting out this chapter, especially the last two scenes. 
> 
> TW: sexual assault discussion in thoughts in Scene 3.

_ January 6, 2009 _

Keith stood at the stove, putting the finishing touches on the evening’s meal. Alicia had fried zucchini for a vegetable option, and he’d made mashed potatoes and meatloaf, a personal favorite.

Ever since Veronica arrived home a few hours earlier, Keith had observed his daughter and Logan interacting. Little hand touches, whispered conversations, subtle glances and smiles... They were very much the picture perfect couple in love, and he was happy to see Veronica smile like this. It bothered him a tiny bit that Logan would be sleeping in her bed, but Alicia had kept him from freaking out over that.

Honestly, the main reason he even invited the three kids over after their flight was to see her happiness in action. Keith would’ve preferred to have as much alone time with his daughter as possible, but this way, he got to witness her bright smile  _ and _ spend time with his own girlfriend. A win-win.

Once the food was ready and the table set, Keith called for everyone to sit down, and they dug into their meals. They were silent for the first few minutes, preferring to wolf down as much as possible, but then Alicia finally started up the conversation.

“Are you starting on Sunday, Logan?” she asked.

He paused with a bite halfway in his mouth, putting the fork down to answer. “I don’t think so, but they haven’t actually told me. Was pretty surprised to make the roster at all, so I haven’t looked into the details much.”

Alicia nodded, but Wallace didn’t look happy. “You should be starting, man. I didn’t even realize it was time for the All Star break. How could they not have you?”

Logan blushed, but didn’t say anything else.

It had been... weird, when Keith found out Logan was starting a career as a professional hockey player. When Logan had been dating Veronica, whenever Keith suggested they watch the Kings’ game, Logan’s back would tighten, his posture ever so subtly growing rigid. He’d ignored that, then, but now he thought back to those days, and wondered what demons the kid had been dealing with at the time.

He often wished that he’d been more supportive of Logan, if only because a kid with that parental lineage was bound to be fucked up. Keith couldn’t fully blame Lynn for her issues; they were largely borne from desperation and fear, a common cocktail for a partner in an abusive relationship. As a detective, though, Keith should’ve paid more attention to the warning signs. It shouldn’t have taken Logan dating his daughter and Aaron being outed as a murderer to put two and two together.

“Did you play hockey as a kid, Logan?” He never wanted to actually broach the subject, but now that Logan’s life was on a good track, and they were together as a makeshift family, he decided to ask.

“Yeah,” he mumbled. “I was good.”

Veronica tensed, question in her eyes, but didn’t say anything else.

“I bet you made that Little League All Star team,” Wallace said, with a laugh. It was an innocent enough question, but Keith knew the signs, and saw the slump in his shoulders, the defeat in his eyes. 

“I did,” Logan said. Keith saw Veronica slide her hands under the table, and hoped to God she was squeezing her boyfriend’s hand in reassurance. 

Veronica kissed his cheek and whispered something into his ear, causing the guy to blush bright red.

Logan’s entire demeanor changed, a subtle shift from unsure and nervous, reminiscent of his teenage days before Lilly died, to the confident, cocky man that Veronica brought out in him. It warmed Keith’s heart to witness the transformation in front of his eyes. Over the years, he feared that he’d hyped up how happy these two made each other, but the amusement in Wallace’s eyes, the care in Alicia’s, the pride in his, the love in theirs... 

Keith was really fucking happy to have some of the most important people in his life together in one room. Holidays in the Mars-Fennel household promised to be entertaining from now on, especially if Logan ever invited one of his siblings, or if any of the kids’ other friends came.

He watched the way everyone laughed and swapped stories, the unease caused by Wallace’s question gone just as quickly on the heels of his daughter’s actions and whispered words.

Filing away a note to talk to Logan about things they really should have discussed years ago, Keith made a promise to himself to be a better father figure to Logan. He had a feeling they were going to be in each other’s lives for a long ass time.

...

After Wallace’s innocent question, Logan felt his mood unwittingly worsen, until Veronica reached down to the space between them and clasped their hands together, her eyes soft and loving and everything Logan didn’t fucking know he needed in that moment.

Memories of Aaron reared their head at the worst times, and this was no exception. He’d been having such a great night until then. 

The flight had been quick and painless. Arranging for Veronica and Wallace to have seats on the same plane with him had been a breeze, though the airline gave him a tough time trying to reschedule Veronica’s Tuesday flight to leave from California instead of Chicago. Eventually reaching someone with a heart, they’d been able to explain the situation, and he’d only needed to pay for one new flight for her. Wallace’s change-of-plans was easy enough to figure out.

Once they’d arrived at the Mars’ home, everything went well. Keith and Alicia had been gracious hosts, giving everyone hugs and supplying snacks and drinks while they cooked dinner. It felt like a fucking family dinner, and the thought that he’d never done shit like this shook him.

Then, the actual dinner’d begun, and until Keith’s question, it was wonderful.

Glancing at their joined hands, Logan smiled softly. Trust Veronica to know what he needed and provide it immediately. She reached up and whispered into his ear at that moment.

“If you’re a good boy for the rest of dinner, I’ll do some magical things with my hands in bed, tonight,” she said, dropping her voice to that sexy tone he loved so fucking much. 

His prick involuntarily jumped inside his pants, thankfully hidden from Wallace’s view by the napkin over his lap. Apparently, he never knew when Veronica’s incredible hold over him would give him a boner.

“Don’t make promises you don’t intend on keeping, hun,” he snarked back, reaching down to gently kiss her cheek, letting his lips linger for just long enough that she could picture his mouth doing better things to her body.

Veronica took that as a challenge, untangling their fingers so she could run her hand down his leg. God, he loved it when she got frisky like this. In front of other people, she wouldn’t do too much, probably stopping at teasing his inner thigh with light touches.

Logan refocused on the attention on the conversation at the table. Keith was politely asking about how Wallace’s father was doing. For a moment, Logan considered whether or not his friend would inform Alicia of the whole secret sister situation. It felt like a topic better discussed in privacy, but maybe not. Would Mrs. Fennel even care? He wasn’t sure.

Unsurprisingly, Wallace spent more time talking about the holidays, and some of the fun Chicago activities they’d done. He briefly mentioned the restaurants Nathan took them to, and the day at the pier with Piz. The recap of their weeks in Chicago took most of the rest of dinner, but Logan was perfectly content with that.

Veronica trailed circles under the napkin the entire time, running her fingers over the seam of his pants, teasing his bulge. Once or twice, she closed part of a fist over his clothed cock, making it jump. The damned thing had a mind of its own, growing even as Logan prayed it would stop. If he stood up with a raging hard-on, Keith wouldn’t be thrilled, no matter how much their relationship had changed over time. Plus, then he’d have to hear Wallace complain about how gross they were again.

Catching her eye, Logan glowered at her. It wasn’t fair that he had a body part that betrayed him so easily at one squeeze of her fingers. Fuck, what she was doing with her hands right then should be illegal at a family dinner.

She seemed to realize how  _ much _ of an effect her teasing had on him, and mercifully moved her hand back to his hip, resting it at his side. Logan quickly got himself under control, desperately hoping none of the other people at the table had noticed the pace of his breathing increase.

“Logan?” Wallace asked.

“Huh?” he said, sounding dazed.

“I asked if you were gonna finish your zucchini. Mom makes it really delicious. If you’re not gonna eat it all, I’m gonna take it,” he said, holding up a fork in offer.

“Oh. Uh, yeah, you can have it,” Logan said distractedly. “Here.” He pushed the vegetables onto Wallace’s plate with his knife, then scooped the last of his mash potatoes onto his fork. Keith and Alicia were pretty darned good cooks, which surprised him. He seemed to remember Veronica complaining about her father’s cooking when they’d been younger.

Wallace dug into his new food, and Veronica sat back in her chair, the picture of innocence, as if she hadn’t been giving him a hand job a minute ago. He narrowed his eyes, hoping she followed through on that promise of magic hands after that tease.

After dinner, Keith and Alicia retired to their room for the evening, citing tiredness. Wallace wanted to watch a movie, so Logan settled into the corner of the couch, Veronica nestled into his side, resting her head on his chest. 

With the woman he loved curled into his body, and the guy who’d become one his best friend laughing heartily at whatever the next funny line in  _ The Pineapple Express  _ was, Logan relaxed and enjoyed the love of his new family.

...

Mac lay in her bed, unable to sleep. Ever since her conversation with Dick, she’d bounced back and forth between worry for Veronica and a sense of sympathy for Dick, despite everything.

Did that make her a shitty person? A bad friend to Veronica? Dick hadn’t explicitly said anything about Bond, but it became increasingly obvious who he meant as they talked. The last thing she’d said before leaving his hospital room to get that soda was that Logan and Veronica were on their way back to Neptune, which clearly weighed on his mind.

She didn’t know what to think about any of it. Oftentimes, Mac forgot  _ just _ how horrific a person Dick Casablancas could be. For the better part of a year and a half, she’d only seen the kind and sympathetic version, the one that even wanted to make amends with Veronica in the first place. If he’d changed, if he’d grown, could she forgive him? Did it change anything? 

Dick hadn’t assaulted Veronica himself, but he’d figuratively loaded the gun and put it in the hands of someone who was secretly a mass murderer in waiting. Dick’s ‘ready and willing’ comment to Beaver reverberated in Mac’s mind. That was so horrifically disgusting, but Mac hadn’t lied to her friend. She believed he wasn’t the type of person who would hurt a woman this way, otherwise, how could she be friends with him? How could any of them?

Veronica had never mentioned this to her, even after what Beaver did the night at The Grand. Mac couldn’t blame Veronica; these were highly personal matters, and everybody dealt with their trauma in their own way. She wanted to be the best friend possible to Veronica.

Fighting tears, Mac remembered that she would see Logan, Veronica, and Wallace soon. She’d seen the boys before the semester ended, but hadn’t actually seen her best friend in months. Broaching the Dick subject wouldn’t be ideal, but maybe she could do some reconnaissance for him, find out if Veronica even  _ wanted _ the guy to apologize. It might be better coming from her than from Dick. It could soften the blow and Mac had the benefit of shared trauma at the hands of Beaver.

Mac didn’t like to think of that night. It’d been the worst of her life. For almost a year, she blamed herself, thinking she’d done something wrong to cause Cassidy to react that way. She knew, deep down, that she was a victim herself, but rational logic didn’t always win in the end.

The part of her that’d come to depend on her friends wanted to text someone, to talk to literally anyone about the maelstrom of thoughts swirling through her mind, but her options were limited. She wasn’t close to Weevil, Wallace and Logan couldn’t know until after Veronica, and Dick was the very source of her apprehension. So much so that she’d skipped out on collecting on their Mario Kart bet tonight in favor of sleep!

Uneasy, Mac put her phone down and closed her eyes, desperately trying to drown out her emotional worries.

...

Veronica followed Logan to their bedroom a few minutes after him. Wallace had fallen asleep on the couch right around the time James Franco got into a brawl, lightly snoring away for the remainder of the comedy. It’d been Veronica’s first time seeing the summer hit, and she’d enjoyed it for what it was.

After it ended and Logan retreated to the safety of their bedroom, Veronica retrieved a blanket from the closet and covered Wallace with it, leaving him to rest.

She walked into their bedroom, lifting her shirt over her head moments after the door clicked closed. Logan licked his lips from the bed, running his tongue over his bottom teeth. He was under the sheets, presumably naked, and his hard-on was visible.

“Hi, Logan,” she said sheepishly. She’d known how worked up he’d gotten at the dinner table, and felt bad afterward when he couldn’t actually come. Stopping at the edge of the bed, Veronica climbed in, crawling under the sheet until her body was poised over his, their legs intertwined. She fell onto her side, resting on her shoulder. Looking into his eyes, Veronica leaned forward and kissed him, slipping her tongue in to deepen it. 

Logan reached around her to place his hands on her lower back, pulling her closer. He detached his mouth from hers, whispered, “I think you promised something about magic hands, Bobcat,” then perched himself on one elbow, smirking naughtily at her.

She grinned back, stretched her hand down over his groin, and rubbed at the bulge beneath the sheets. “I did, didn’t I? Oops. I’d better make good on that, Lo.” She circled her hand around his cock, squeezing lightly.

Beginning to pump at a slow, pleasurable pace, Veronica kissed his delicious looking mouth again, nibbling on his lower lip. It was an intimate experience, and something she loved doing with Logan. He was always so damned kissable. Ever since the first time outside the Camelot, the best part of being with Logan had been the way he poured all the emotion he had into every single one of their kisses. Each look moved the world for her, and it made her feel special. To be loved like that was an experience she didn’t want to go without, and her love for Logan made her giddy and excited. They were really a hell of a pair.

She broke their kiss, refocusing her attention on his cock. Logan’s eyes rolled up as she sped up her actions, sliding her fingers up and down in a steady rhythm. 

Every few minutes, Veronica slipped a finger down to play with his balls, switching up the sensation for him. Alternating between fast pumps and slow pulls, Veronica waited until she heard his breath speeding up, his eyes glazed over with lust. She craned her neck so his ear was within reach, then whispered, “Want a reminder of how magical my mouth is, too, love?”

Logan groaned, “God, yes,” moving his fingers to lightly thread her hair. He didn’t push her to keep things going, but instead was comfortable to wait and see how she wanted to play it. 

Veronica shimmied her body further down the bed, pausing when she reached his hips, pressing feather-light kisses to his skin. Positioning her mouth lower, she ran her tongue along the underside of his cock, licking a trail from the head to his balls. Veronica moved back up, sliding her lips down Logan’s prick.

She sucked softly, but insistently, trying her best to coax an orgasm from her boyfriend with a combination of tantalizing skill and fervent licks. Swallowing around the head, she added fingers to the mix, pumping the base of his cock to increase the pleasure. This evening had been all about that magic touch, and Veronica wanted to finish off Logan with both her lips and hands.

When his orgasm was fast approaching, Logan said, “I’m going to come, V,” in warning, but she wanted to taste him, and kept her lips wrapped around his cock, sucking ardently when his cum flowed into her mouth. She swallowed, before lifting off his cock.

“You’re really fucking good at that, Veronica,” Logan said, smiling. He picked up her hands, running a thumb over her palm. “Definitely magic.”

“Mm. Let me know when you’re ready for round two, Lo. I want to feel your cock inside my pussy,” she told him, sliding back up the bed so they were side by side. Veronica was still aroused, but she wanted Logan in tip top shape, and tiring him out too quickly didn’t work with her plans.

“Give me a few minutes, yeah,” Logan said.

She grinned at him, resting her head on his chest. The heavy rising and falling served to relax her, allowing her mind to drift to the wild day they’d had, even as she lightly played with herself. Planes, dinners, movies, travel. She would never forget those weeks in Chicago; they’d completely changed the course of her life, honestly. They brought to the forefront how badly she’d missed Logan - missed  _ this _ .

It was a crazy coincidence that Logan would be traded to the Wolves right before her trip. A month ago, she’d been trying to move on. Now, hot and ready for more in Logan’s arms, it seemed inconceivable to be with anyone else. She knew that she was it for him, too. Veronica couldn’t wait until he was recharged enough to fuck her, to bring her that delirious combination of pleasure and passion that lit her nerves on fire.

As expected, they’d picked up right where they left off, sexually. Given how explosive each iteration of their relationship had been previously, she’d expected nothing less. It still warmed her to know they could pick up both physically and emotionally right where they left off, but even better, she was pretty fucking confident that this time, it was for the long haul. Her dad liked him - and, honestly, she still had questions for him about that. He’d never once mentioned Logan, even if she’d wanted it that way.

Wallace liked Logan, a ton. Alicia seemed to. Mac was close friends with him. Even fucking Weevil liked him now. All of the obstacles that’d stood in their way previously... They were just gone. 

She smiled up at him, content.

Hee grinned back, lowered his lips to nip at her breasts.  _ Oh, yay! _

Logan tugged at his cock, pumping until he grew hard again. Swinging her legs over his, Veronica lined them up, sinking down until his prick was sheathed in the warmth of her pussy. She pressed her thighs into his groin, her tits to his chest, and kissed him hungrily and passionately, gyrating over him. 

Holding her face in his hands, Logan returned the embrace with equal vigor, slipping his tongue into her mouth to dance with hers. He reached around to press his fingers into the flesh of her ass, gripping her to bounce her up and down the length of his dick. 

They moved together, rushing toward their release. Veronica wanted to stretch this out, though. It was their first time in Neptune since getting back together, and whether or not Logan realized it, that was significant to her. The last time they’d been together in this hellhole of a town, everything went to shit, and she ended up dating fucking  _ Piz _ .

For her, putting this final demon from their past to bed, in the most fun way possible, allowed her to move forward fully. With that thought in mind, Veronica sped up her motions, taking as much of his prick into her as she could. She directed Logan’s attention towards her breasts, sighing as he ran his tongue around her nipple, pressing wet and soft kisses to the flesh. 

The loving actions brought her close, so she lifted his face by placing her hand under his chin, then kissed him hard on the mouth, moaning through her orgasm. He swallowed the sounds, then held her down, the bottom of her ass pushing into his hips, his cock inside her pussy to the hilt. Taking him as deep as possible, she groaned as she felt the rush of his come hitting her inner walls. Honestly, the thing most different about sex without a condom was how much damned  _ messier _ it all would be after. Before, the latex cover would keep it all contained, but now she’d have to clean up his mess. Veronica thought about how annoying that would be, but Logan’s peaceful expression pleased her, so ultimately she didn’t mind much right then.

Smiling happily, Veronica dislodged Logan’s cock from her and moved up the bed, lounging on her side. She gazed into his eyes and kissed him, deepening it when he responded with a groan.

“Bobcat,” he started. “If we do this, we’re going to end up having sex again.” He laughed. “Not that I hate the idea, but we’re going to tire each other out. Let’s pause while we’re ahead.” He played with her hair and she nestled her cheek into his neck momentarily, before going to get cleaned up.

After, they drifted off to sleep, Veronica’s dreams a mixture of hockey, their weird little family, and courtrooms. It was one of her best nights of sleep in ages.


	29. Shut Out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to CubbieGirl1723 for beta-reading this chapter, which I think is the longest of the story. This one was really tough for me, and she helped me get everything to come across the way I wanted it.
> 
> TW: discussion of sexual assault/Shelly's party in scenes two and five.

_January 7, 2009_

The morning light brightened the living room, and Wallace tried to shake the cobwebs from his eyes, rubbing ineffectually at them. He got up despite his entire being protesting the decision, and stumbled toward the kitchen. Keith and his mom were still sleeping, and he didn’t expect Logan or Veronica to emerge from their lover cocoon for at least another hour.

The one thing he’d gotten used to over the last few weeks was the fact that both of his friends liked to sleep in. Or, if they were awake, they preferred to be alone together in the mornings. Thankfully, they’d had the tact necessary to be quiet, so he didn’t have to spend much time thinking about whatever the fuck they did.

Wallace fished out a carton of eggs from the refrigerator, turning on the stove. As he sprayed the frying pan, his thoughts shifted to more practical matters. Veronica had five more days in Neptune before her flight to Stanford, and they all wanted to see Mac, Dick, and Weevil. He thought about texting all three of them and arranging something for later in the day. Maybe Keith and his mom wouldn’t mind hosting a get-together?

Or, they could visit their friends in shifts for now, then see them all together over the weekend. He’d have to wait for Veronica to wake up before deciding that. If she wanted to have a girls day with Mac, that could work.

Truthfully, Wallace wanted some alone time with Logan the most. Dick, Mac, and Weevil would all be there when he got back. A month ago, when he’d left for Chicago, he hadn’t known Logan wouldn’t be in Neptune when he got back. It kind of fucking sucked. Visiting Chicago at the same time Logan moved there eased them both into what was a pretty major change in their lives.

He decided to ask Veronica if he could grab lunch with Logan, and she could go see Mac. Halfway through scrambling his eggs, his mom emerged from the bedroom. “Morning, Mom.”

“Good morning, Wallace,” she said, yawning. She walked over to the Keurig and popped in a hazelnut K Cup. “How’d you sleep, honey?”

He grinned. “On the couch. I guess I passed out. V tucked me in.” He laughed. “We watched Pineapple Express.”

“Haven’t seen that one,” she said. Alicia took her coffee, walked over and grabbed a seat at the island. “So, son of mine. How’s your father doing?”

Wallace paused, mid-stir of his eggs. He turned around. “About that.” He took a deep breath. “Nathan - Dad - told me I could tell you, so... I have a sister, Mom.”

Alicia stopped what she was doing. “What?” 

Moving so he was in front of her, Wallace repeated his words. “She’s a bit younger than I am. Veronica and Logan discovered something was off and snooped around. Her mom doesn’t trust Nathan because of his past, so she didn’t want me to meet Tamara - that’s her name - at first. Three years ago, I mean. When I spent those months in Chicago. Then all the shit with Rashard happened.” He hadn’t really told his mom _everything_ about the Rashard incident at the time, but over the years, it’d all slowly come out over heart-to-heart talks like this one.

“Tamara? That’s a sweet name,” Alicia whispered. “Is he being a good father to her?”

“Mom, don’t do this. We’ve gone over it before. I was mad, but you made the decision you felt was best for me. It doesn’t matter how good or bad a dad he’s being to this daughter.”

Alicia sniffled, but reached out for Wallace, who happily hugged her. “That means he’s being a good dad, doesn’t it?” she asked with a laugh.

“No.” Wallace snorted. “He’s being an OK dad. He visits her, and he is in her life, but he’s not with Tamara’s mom, either. Mom, you are all I need. I’m happy to have a real relationship with him, but _you_ raised me. And, actually, Keith did during high school and college, too, I guess.”

His mom smiled. “Yeah. Keith’s a good guy.” 

“He’s the best kind of guy. You two are really happy together. I’m glad y’all fixed your shit.”

“Wallace Fennel,” Veronica said, announcing her presence. “Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?”

Shaking his head, Wallace grinned back at her. “Morning, Supafly. And, yes, I do.” He kissed Alicia’s cheek, and they all laughed at his antics. “Veronica, do you mind if I have lunch with just Logan, and you can hang out with Mac then? We can all reconvene after.”

She seemed to think about it. “OK.”

Wallace smiled. He’d gotten to tell his mom about his sister, and he’d get some much-needed bro time with Logan. Things were looking up.

...

Glancing down at her lunch, Veronica picked at the edges of what was left of her burrito, her eyes surreptitiously sliding to observe Mac. Her friend had barely eaten a thing, instead chewing her lips and looking off to the side the entire time. The conversation had flowed well enough, but any time Veronica dug into her food, Mac would lose herself in thought. It was starting to bother Veronica.

She didn’t know how to approach whatever was bugging Mac, though. They’d been super close for a long time, but hadn’t seen each other in months. Starting off with awkwardness wasn’t high on Veronica’s Wednesday wish list.

Mac finally broke the silence, though, saving her. “I want to talk to you about something,” she said hesitantly. “Not really sure how to do it.”

“Just hit me with it, Q,” she said, placing her napkin on the table to give Mac her full attention.

“How do you look at Dick?” she blurted out. 

_Huh?_ That was... random. “What do you mean?”

“He, uh...” She paused. “Dick confessed some things to me. Horrible stuff he’s done. I don’t know how to separate this guy he is now from the gross picture he paints of the douchebag he was before. And I fucking _witnessed_ him be an asshole to so many people.” Mac let out a sound halfway between a laugh and a cry. “Why did I have to become such good friends with a womanizer?”

Veronica didn’t actually want to defend Dick Casablancas. He was a miserable prick to every person in their high school who didn’t live in the 09er zip, and he tortured many who _did_. To say nothing of what he’d done to her. But... “I know you, Mac. You wouldn’t be friends with someone who did that stuff now. It’s possible for people to change. Logan has changed a lot over the years. Some people, like Piz, change for the worse.”

Leaning forward and rubbing her chin, Mac continued her thought. “I want to reconcile this good person I’ve gotten to know over the last year and a half with the heinous man he was before.”

“Dick _is_ different, Mac. The person he is now... Well, I don’t know if I’d go as far as good, but he isn’t nearly as bad as he was before. I don’t dread seeing him.” That part was true. She still hadn’t _forgiven_ Dick, but... the changes were real. She understood how Wallace could be his friend, or Mac. 

“I’ve been burned by one Casablancas brother, and I’m not sure I could handle it happening again,” Mac revealed.

Because of her own Beaver issues, Veronica had never willingly discussed the night of their graduation with Mac. It would’ve led to all sorts of questions she didn’t want to answer. “What brought thoughts of Cassidy on, Q?”

Mac hesitated. “Honestly, Bond... I don’t know how to do this,” she said, throwing Veronica off. “I’m not even sure there _is_ something to do here. Dick was intentionally vague about it all.” _Oh, fuck_. “And... What kind of friend am I, even bringing this up, if what I think happened is true? It’s not fair to you, and I’m such a shitty friend, and, fuck... You might be... God, I want to be a friend to you, and even to him, though I’m pretty disgusted by him right now, but I don’t fucking know what to do.”

“I don’t hate Dick for that night,” Veronica started. She paused, waiting for Mac’s tear-stained eyes to meet hers. “I’m guessing he told you about Shelly’s party, but left out my name?”

“Yeah,” Mac said. “He wants to apologize, but he doesn’t know how. I’m not here on his behalf, Q. Believe that. I’m pissed at him right now.”

“Don’t be for me, Mac. Dick was a douche about it, but I’ve known about it for years. It’s more important that he becomes a better person for _himself_. I’ll talk to him and accept his apology if it’s genuine, because Logan helped me move forward with my life the summer after Beaver jumped. I don’t want to relitigate the past ad nauseum, but it won’t be because he deserves to be forgiven.”

Mac looked down at her food. “I’m a bad friend, aren’t I? I didn’t know how to talk to you about this, and I don’t think he does, either. It’s not something they teach at friendship school.”

“It sucks. It’s awful and terrible, and Dick did a gross, unforgivable thing. I promised him one chance when Logan was in the hospital, and he’ll get it.”

Mac smiled, and Veronica could tell she felt bad about the entire conversation. It was why she let it slide. It was hard for them to talk about it, but she’d approached it delicately enough, and there really was no good way to talk about it. They’d both been burned terribly by Beaver Casablancas, along with the rest of Neptune, but she’d accepted she would have to put that issue to bed one last time when she accepted Dick’s offer to talk. His actions were a proverbial elephant in the room. She was willing to forgive him, to acknowledge he hadn’t meant for his brother to actually assault her, if he answered her questions acceptably.

Now, she just needed to actually talk to Dick.

...

Logan was surprised when Veronica told him they would have separate lunches with subsets of their friends. The whole thing was weird, but he intended to enjoy an afternoon with Wallace. They hadn’t gotten much alone time in Chicago, but hanging out and grabbing tacos had become a Neptune tradition.

The pair walked together along the beachfront and found the most appetizing-looking taco cart they could - it surprised Logan that any were open in the middle of the winter, but Neptune weather was much nicer than the cold Lake Michigan breeze. 

“Is your seafood allergy contact or air?” Wallace called to him from his spot at the counter.

Grinning, Logan said, “Contact,” then turned back to the menu. It did funny things to his insides that another friend remembered that shellfish could fucking kill him, when Aaron couldn’t have been bothered to get his birthday month correct.

They had chicken, beef, steak, and pork as meat options - plus shrimp. He hadn’t had pork tacos in awhile, so ordered three of those, with cheese, lettuce and sour cream.

Wallace’s food was done first, so he found an empty bench, and Logan followed a few minutes later.

“So, are you ready for classes to pick back up, dude?” Logan asked.

Biting into his food, Wallace nodded. “Yeah. The coursework is ramping up this semester, you know? Only three more semesters, so the professors keep us on a stricter leash. Lots of homework and projects. It kinda blows, but what can you do?”

Logan laughed. Some days, he missed the routine of school, but once he got onto the ice, decked in pads, the rush of excitement that accompanied gliding toward the opposing goalie? Nothing compared to that for Logan. “What about Piz?”

“What about him?” Wallace asked.

“Is he taking a tough course load?”

Wallace shook his head. “No idea, man. I texted him the day after the pier and politely asked him to find a new roommate. I’m living solo this semester. I considered moving into your place while you’re gone, but sorta want my own privacy.”

“Dick is a good roommate, honestly,” Logan said. “He doesn’t get in your way, he’s cleaner than you would think, and he helps out financially.”

“Maybe in the future.” Wallace shrugged. “I just couldn’t live with Piz after what he tried to pull on you and Veronica, you know? Dude, I’m sorry I never said anything in the past. I should have. What he tried to do when you were dating V the first time around wasn’t cool.”

Logan waved it off. “Bygones, Wallace. He was your roommate, and honestly, half the time, he wasn’t so bad. If he’d never taken interest in Veronica, I might not have hated him.”

“Still,” Wallace said, speaking over another mouthful of his shrimp taco. “It was shitty of me to not defend y’all more. You’re a good guy, Logan. I knew that, then.”

Flushing, Logan smiled. “Thanks, man.”

They finished their food with more comfortable topics of conversation, ranging from the All Star festivities, to Wallace’s sister, to the crazy criminal conspiracies they’d uncovered. Logan couldn’t believe how quickly Veronica had gotten herself tangled in multiple cases, but admired how she’d handled it all.

“What happened to that PI?” Wallace asked when they finished discussing the latest on Chardo.

“I paid off the remainder of his fee and politely told him his services were no longer needed,” Logan said, chuckling. “He didn’t seem to mind. The guy came up with jack shit for all that money I paid him.”

Wallace snorted. “What a waste.” He got up, crumpled his wrapper into a ball, and fired a jump shot at the nearest trash can.

When it clanked off the edge, Logan let out a laugh. “Nice one.” At Wallace’s disbelieving look, Logan stuffed his last bite in, rolled his own paper up, and tried his own arcing shot, looking away when it missed the can entirely.

Wallace had at least known there would be different air resistance and put more behind his throw. “You are not a basketball genius, Echolls.”

“That’s fine, Fennel. I’m more of a hockey buff.”

Wallace laughed, standing up from the bench. “That you are.”

“Ready to get back? Not sure what Veronica’s got planned for us the rest of the day, but I’m sure it’ll be fun.”

“Sure thing,” Wallace said.

It’d been nice to hang out with his friend, but Logan was antsy to get back to Veronica. He had such limited time left with her before her return to Stanford, and after that, he still didn’t know when he would see her next. They would work through any difficult patches, but the last three weeks had been all bliss, all the time. 

The entire walk back to the Mars’ home, Logan thought about the last month, about his friends, and his love life, and the danger Dick and Weevil had been in... So much could’ve gone so wrong, yet their little clique persevered. 

The Mars-Fennel family gave him a home, and that was a feeling he would miss. But, he’d never been able to _look forward_ to family events before. It was a welcome change, and one he intended to soak up every moment of before the weekend was over.

...

Weevil felt like the car was going at a snail’s pace as Jade drove toward the Mars’ home. He was going to introduce his girlfriend to V and Echolls, and, fuck, he was nervous. It felt like bringing a girl home to meet his abuela.

Jade put the car in park outside the Sunset Cliffs apartment. They got out and walked around to the back seat to dig out the dessert they’d purchased, a key lime pie and box of brownies. Weevil reached for her hand, then walked up to the front door, knocking twice.

Waiting for someone to come, he allowed his nerves to wash over him one last time. _It will be fine._

Veronica opened the door, a bright smile plastered to her face. “Weevil!” she exclaimed, pulling him in for a hug, which caused him to let go of his girlfriend’s hand and weirded him out.

They didn’t do that mushy shit. Or, they hadn’t used to. His night got even weirder when Logan walked up and clapped him lightly on the back. “Hey, Weevs.”

Noticing Jade standing there awkwardly, he reached back out for her and embraced her. “V, Logan. This is Jade. Jade, the blonde hugger over there is the infamous Veronica Mars. Jackass is her boyfriend, Logan.” He smirked when Echolls frowned, but everyone could tell his tone was joking. “You gonna let us in, V?”

She stepped aside and gestured for everyone to walk fully inside the apartment. The Sheriff, Mrs. Fennel, and Wallace were all standing in the kitchen, chatting amongst themselves. All conversation halted when the trio noticed the newcomers.

“Eli,” Keith greeted, nodding. “How are you, son?”

“Not too bad. Chardo will have his deal soon, and then the FBI plans to move in on the higher ups. Sounds like Cobb is cooked, though.”

Keith grinned. “Yeah, we nailed that bastard to the wall. Madison’s confession got him charged with additional counts of conspiracy to commit murder, too.”

“Dad, I can’t believe you arrested that idiot at the Sinclair’s,” V said, and Weevil was pleased to hear no trace of jealousy in her tone. He remembered all too well the day she’d come storming in, demanding they crush that witch’s red convertible into smithereens. It hadn’t taken a genius to work out why V was so furious. 

“It was pretty crazy,” Keith admitted. “Mr. Sinclair was mad that we arrested him in front of his wife, but he pretty much told us he knew Cobb was there the entire time, so it was an easy decision.”

“This is so insane,” Jade spoke up, her first words since they’d arrived. Weevil only just realized she hadn’t said hello to anyone. “Do you all do this often? It’s nerve-wracking.”

“Nah,” Weevil promised. “I’m not usually involved in V’s half-cocked schemes.”

“Uh, excuse me?” V protested.

Echolls snorted, immediately after. “Yeah, it was definitely Veronica’s idea to bug a confessional.”

“Or to tie me up!” Wallace put in.

“I was also obviously to blame for you breaking into the Kane mansion,” Veronica said dryly.

“OK, I get the fucking point,” Weevil said, agitated. “Sorry for the language, Sheriff,” he added as an aside. 

“Quite fine, Eli,” Alicia answered for her boyfriend. “Wallace, I think I’m glad you kept me out of this when you were younger. I’m not sure how I would have handled discussion of recording confession. Jade,” she continued, turning to the woman. “It really _isn’t_ like this all the time. It’s been tense the last week or two, but we’re all really lovely most of the time. It’s very nice to meet you.”

Mrs. Fennel moved forward and hugged Jade, and just like that, the nervous atmosphere broke. Weevil spent the rest of the evening catching up with V, shooting the shit with Echolls and Wallace, and listening to his girlfriend bond with V and Mrs. Fennel.

It seemed that he had nothing to worry about, and for that, he was fucking psyched.

Now, he just needed to hope Chardo stayed safe for just a few more days.

...

_January 8, 2009_

Veronica stared at her plate, tossing butter on her bread as she waited for Dick to arrive. She’d told Logan that she wanted to meet Dick for lunch in a very public venue. All he knew was that she and his best friend had some lingering issues to hash out, and she didn’t plan to ever tell him more, if things went well.

Choosing a public place for this conversation had been an intentional decision. If it got messy, she had an easy escape route - Logan, outside, waiting with a car.

She spotted Dick the moment the other man entered the restaurant, and noted the changes in how he carried himself. There was less arrogance, yet more confidence. He was comfortable in his skin in a way that the womanizing douchebag could never be. 

“Hey, Ronnie. Thanks for meeting me,” Dick said, pulling out a chair and sitting down.

“Yeah, sure. I ordered a soda while I waited, but the waiter should be back soon if you want something,” Veronica offered.

“Nah, I’ll be good. I might go after I say my piece.”

“That’s fine. Here’s how this is going to work, Dick. You get one chance to apologize for everything. Whatever you think you’ve done that warrants an “I’m sorry.” I’ll listen to your apology, and if I think I can forgive you, I will.”

“Ronnie... I’m not looking for forgiveness, you know? That’s something for you to give me, and that’s not fair. You shouldn’t have to give me anything. I’m apologizing because it’s the right thing to do, and something I should’ve done years ago, yeah?”

That was a decent first step, so Veronica nodded.

“I’ll get to the big one last, but before that, I never should have slashed your tires, or made fun of Lianne when we both knew she had problems with alcohol. I had shitty parents too, and that makes it even worse that I ragged on you for yours.” Dick paused, taking a sip of his water, then continued. “I shouldn’t have written your number on the bathroom stalls, or tormented you when I knew how much you were hurting.”

“You use words as a weapon, Dick. Always have,” Veronica said. “You’re a bit like Logan, there.”

“Yeah, well, there’s a reason why we’re best friends,” he said.

“Keep going,” Veronica said. There was really only one more thing.

“I... Are you sure you want to hear this, Veronica?” he asked.

“No,” she admitted. “But we might never be able to move past this if we don’t hash it out right now. If moving past it is even on the table.”

Dick nodded glumly. “Yeah, well, I’m lucky. God, it’s the worst thing I’ve ever done. It doesn’t matter. It just doesn’t, that I never thought he would do it. I... I fucking left you, trashed out of your mind, to his mercy. Even if he was my brother, I just shouldn’t have done that. I fucking encouraged him...” He looked away. “You know that part, already.”

“I do,” Veronica said. “I investigated so much of it after Tad outed Carmen junior year. I ran over your surfboard.”

“I remember,” Dick said.

“Sean and... Beaver, they painted a pretty full picture of your words and actions. They’re despicable, Dick. Heinous. No, don’t look away. Your decisions cost me things I can’t ever get back. Live with that knowledge. Don’t ever forget it. I think you’ve changed, but am reserving the right to reverse that opinion if I ever see hints of that person coming back.”

Veronica paused, letting her breathing even out. “I believe, deep down, that you’re a decent man, now, and that you’re going to make Logan a proud best friend. Mac and Wallace witnessed the gradual change, but you’ve surprised me this last month several times, so I’m willing to give you a chance,” she said, nodding along to her words. “But never, ever forget that you royally fucked up, and my life got much worse because of that choice. It’s the most traumatizing thing to ever happen to me. I’m only voluntarily reliving it today, because you’re Logan’s best friend, and we either need to come to an understanding or cut off contact. The changes I’ve seen have made me decide on the former.”

"I... I really am sorry, Veronica."

She got up, and looked Dick in the eye. “Your apology is accepted, not because you deserve forgiveness, but because it’s mine to give. Remember that, Dick. I’ll see you at the All Star game, OK? Give me the next day to spend with Logan, and sort out some of your own shit, and then come to the game. Bring Susan, Carrie, and Gia, if you want. The more people supporting Logan, the merrier.”

He nodded, and she placed her napkin on the table, walking out of the restaurant, leaving Dick Casablancas sitting at the table, staring off into space, lost in regret.

For now, that was just fine with her.

...

_January 10, 2009_

Logan bounced on the balls of his feet, excitement thrumming through his body. He spied his makeshift family in the stands, complete now with Parker there, and grinned. They made up an entire row of seats. It was incredible.

Gia sat on the end, with Carrie, Susan, then Dick, next to her. Parker sat awkwardly between Mac and Dick, with Wallace, Alicia, Keith, Veronica, Weevil, then Jade filling out the row. He’d never felt so happy as he did right then, watching this ragtag group of Neptune residents band together to watch _him_. Then, Cliff ambled up the bleachers, taking the seat in the next row, right in front of the Mars family, and Logan felt tears spring to his eyes.

This was what it was all about.

“You OK, son?” Coach Dave said, clapping him lightly on the shoulder. Logan had been happy to hear that his coach was part of the All Star staff. 

“Yeah,” Logan responded. “I’m ready.” He hopped off the bench, tied up his gloves, and stepped onto the ice, skating out to the middle for the opening puck drop. He didn’t know these teammates other than their names - Jari was the left wing, Vince the right wing, Paul and Marc the defensemen, and Dom the goalie. 

When the referee blew the whistle, Vince dropped his stick to the ice, winning the faceoff. He swept the puck to Jari first, and they were off.

Logan stayed near the left boards as his team drifted toward the offensive zone, Paul crossing the blue line first. Stationing himself at the top of the point, Logan skated side to side, surveying his opponents.

He’d never played most of these guys, so he needed to quickly adapt to his surroundings and learn their techniques and tells. Did they commit themselves before shooting? He hoped the goalie frequently tipped his movements. Logan loved it when they did that.

Marc fired the first shot of the game, rebounding off the goalie’s pads, out in front of the net. Paul picked the puck up and ricocheted it off the far boards to Vince.

Logan wanted to impress all of his family and friends, so he moved in toward the net, hoping for a quick rebound goal. Vince sent it careening behind the net to Jari, who turned around and shot at the back of the goal.

It skated through an opposing defenseman’s legs right to Logan, who lined up a one-timer and swung his stick in an arc, connecting with the puck in just the right place to send it at the crossbar. It bounced off the goalie and seemed destined for the back of the net. Then, Logan’s opponent swung his glove hand behind his back without looking and secured one heck of a fucking save.

Amazed, Logan re-evaluated how difficult it might be to score on these players. He figured NHL-caliber talent would be much better than him, but that was something else. Figuring it might have been luck, Logan decided to stay the course, pressing the offensive advantage whenever his team had it, looking for openings, and taking any shots he had.

Every time, the opposing goalie stopped the puck in its tracks, his array of moves varying from grabbing it out of the air mid-split to throwing a padded leg in its path. Each successive thwarted scoring opportunity annoyed Logan even more, until his team finally went on the power play.

Logan pleaded his case until Coach Dave gave him the role of shielding the goalie and kept a careful eye on him in his peripheral vision. He’d noticed this dude left the gap between his legs occasionally open while attempting the more acrobatic saves, and that was his angle.

When Jari fired one on net through the sea of bodies in front, Logan timed his rebound shot perfectly to drop the puck on the ice right between the goalie’s legs, flitting it through the five hole and into the goal.

He caught Veronica’s eye and smiled from under his protective helmet, pleased. They would celebrate that after the game, and in such fun ways.

A few minutes later, when the intermission arrived, Logan headed to the locker room with a large, immovable smile etched onto his face.

He officially had an All Star goal, a decade too late.

...

Veronica sat in the stands, listening to the idle chatter of her friends around her. The third period was set to start in just under a minute, but their little group was unfazed by the lapse in action. 

Carrie and Susan rambled on about their plans to marathon the last season of _The Office_ during the week, while Mac ranted at Dick - who Veronica genuinely wasn’t sure how to act around at the moment - about some Mario Kart bet they’d made that the latter still needed to pay up on. The whole scene amused and delighted her, a perfect example of why she treasured the close-knit friend circle she’d made.

Right before the clock above the arena ticked to double zero, Logan came back onto the ice, skating small laps around the two faceoff circles in his team’s defensive zone. He didn’t take any practice shots during the short warmup, instead settling in as his teammates, opponents, and the referees joined him. 

She’d paid close attention and learned everyone’s names on Logan’s team quickly, preferring to think of them as Vince and Jari rather than ‘Wing One’ and ‘Wing Two’. Vince won the faceoff, dropping it back for Logan to take up the ice. 

The action picked up immediately, a flurry of physicality and technique that left her in awe of her boyfriend. For every body check delivered by the opposing team, Logan countered with a hard shoulder to a player, or Vince boxed someone out into the boards. She winced whenever Logan took the brunt of a blocked shot, cheered when he took one of his own, drowned out only by Wallace’s loud voice, and gasped any time the puck blended in with the net, skirting behind it.

For her, the toughest moment came when Logan dropped his gloves. She’d seen him fight _countless_ times over the years, and his hockey fighting turned her on just as much as the other times - maybe even more. He was controlled and powerful, using years of experience growing up in Neptune to his advantage. Hits that could’ve knocked down his teammates just made Logan punch back harder. 

Logan had clearly won the fight, his opponent’s lip bleeding as he favored his arm, when the referee called it, directing both of them to the penalty box. Observing her friends, Veronica was pleased to note nobody seemed to be glaring at Logan with contempt in their eyes. Weevil looked proud of a job well done, Keith shook his head in exasperation, mumbling something about, “Stupid sports fights,” and Dick cheered loudly, shouting at his best friend with a string of excited expletives mixed in.

Catching his eye behind the glass, Veronica thought back to the last time they’d done this, the second game she went to. Right before he’d gotten hurt, and she’d freaked... That day, she had imagined all the ways they could fuck against the bench, every angle his cock could deliciously fill her pussy from. Veronica rubbed her legs together inconspicuously, immediately regretting her walk down memory lane. 

Below her, Logan laughed, no doubt recognizing her reaction for what it was. They were constantly synced that way. She grinned down at him and licked her lips, watching his eyes glaze over. God, they had to stop flirting like this, especially now that it wasn’t just Wallace watching. They had an entire row watching a sexual penalty play out in real time!

Veronica blushed and averted her eyes, meeting Mac’s knowing stare by accident. They exchanged a quick grin, then Veronica got her emotions and libido temporarily under control and focused her attention on the penalty box.

Meeting Logan’s eyes... Fuck, he was going to cause her to spontaneously combust if this continued. She checked over the visible parts of him for any scrapes, but, finding none, relaxed and returned her eyes to the ice. Since the penalties offset, the teams were still playing even strength, but it didn’t look like either side was managing any sustained offensive pressure.

She observed one of their second-line forwards sweep the puck across to a teammate, who fired a one-timer on goal. The opposing netminder batted it away, and out of play, just as the clock on Logan’s time in the box clicked to zero.

He jumped out and skated to the bench, meeting her eyes once there. They smiled at each other, and Veronica sat there, content to watch her boyfriend dominate at hockey with her friends and family. Everything was working out.

...

Logan rejoiced when the third period expired. His very first All Star game, and they won in a shutout. 

The time in the locker room postgame dragged on, reporters asking him questions about his goal, where he came from, how excited he was to be there, and other mundane things. Since they apparently hadn’t tied him to his father, it was all very boring, and all Logan wanted to do was escape the sea of people and find Veronica and the others. He planned to take the whole group out to the best pizzeria he’d found near the arena.

When someone from the local beat asked a particularly stupid, repetitive question, Logan was finished. He stood up and ignored the confused looks on the faces of every journalist pointing microphones in his face, walked out of the locker room, and went straight into Veronica’s embrace.

“Hi, Lo,” she whispered against his lips when he eventually pulled away. 

Logan smiled, a soft laugh escaping. “Hey, Veronica.” Looking around at their audience, he was again struck by how surreal the entire thing was. 

Gia, the girl who’d annoyed them so much Veronica danced with him as a distraction. Carrie, who’d done something so very noble in defense of her best friend. Weevil, who he’d once hated with a passion, and Dick, who he loved like a brother.

The strange juxtapositions amused him, and Logan shook his head, reaching down to grasp Veronica’s hand. “Are we ready?” he asked her.

Nodding, she asked, “You still want to do pizza, right?”

“Yeah,” Logan said. He leaned in, whispering, “Should I thank them for coming?”

“Nah.” She kissed him quickly. “I’ll handle it.” Placing her hands on her hips, Veronica called out, “Hey, everyone,” causing a dozen heads to turn her way. “We wanted to thank you for coming down and showing your support for Logan’s All Star appearance. It was a fun game, and it means a lot to us - both of us - to have you all here.”

Logan smiled down at her, taking over. “There’s a delicious pizzeria around here that tries their best to emulate New York-style. Let’s grab dinner as a group. My treat.”

Without looking back, Logan began the journey to the restaurant, pausing only to quietly observe the people around him once more. Just three years ago, the only two he would’ve been friends with were Dick and Veronica, and the latter was questionable.

His thoughts drifted to the missing people. To Duncan, who’d fled almost three years ago to the day. To Lilly and his mother, two women he’d loved dearly, but who couldn’t return that affection with the same level of devotion. Those three were the most glaring, but he wondered how much different life would be without the death and destruction Neptune left in its wake. Would Weevil be their friend had Lilly and Thumper not shaken his worldview? Wallace had escaped relatively unscathed, but 09er bullshit fucked over almost everyone else.

Honestly, Logan wasn’t sure he deserved this gift. Veronica would tell him he did, and vehemently argue the point, which was one of the many reasons he loved her. He decided to believe her.

The rest of the walk passed quickly, Veronica glancing up at Logan every few minutes. He gave her a reassuring smile every time, and eventually she just squeezed his hand.

The server at the pizzeria seated them at a large, corner table with enough chairs for everyone. Logan ordered three plain cheese and two pepperoni pies for everyone to share, then started listening to the conversations. 

He heard Dick tell Weevil about some surf expedition he wanted to go on, Susan smiling shyly from the side. Weevs looked like he didn’t give a flying fuck, but indulgently nodded along while squeezing Jade’s hand. Logan was happy to see Carrie and Gia in brighter spirits, talking to Jade; Mac’d told them that the two of them insisted they were getting clean, and Dick’d offered to put them up in rehab to push that process along.

At the other end of the table, Keith, Cliff, and Alicia whispered to each other about the game. Keith had tried to argue with him about picking up the tab, but Logan insisted he be the one to pay for this meal as a thank you.

That left Wallace, Veronica, Parker, Mac, and Logan sitting in the center - the original Hearst crew, reunited and enjoying good friends and good food.

He relaxed and let the happiness wash over him. It’d been a long journey, but spending an evening out to dinner with this specific group was a definite highlight for him. Softly squeezing Veronica’s hand, Logan leaned in and kissed her sweetly, feeling the love and passion in her return embrace. 

They still had a few things to work out over the next two days, but Logan felt like they were going to manage OK. Things were looking up.


	30. Chapter 30

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thank you to CubbieGirl1723 for her excellent beta work. I can't believe there's only one more chapter to go. Expect some beginning and end notes tomorrow.

_ January 11, 2009 _

Keith flipped through the Sunday morning newspaper, focusing mostly on the latest free agent news reports. The Padres weren’t linked to any new players over the weekend, so he folded the print edition and tossed it aside. Gone were the days of Trevor Hoffman and teams Keith related to. 

When Veronica strolled into the kitchen, bags under her eyes, Keith took one look and stood up, headed for the Keurig. After Logan’s game, and the pizza dinner, the Fennel-Mars-Echolls squad retired to the apartment, Wallace crashing on the couch again. 

He wanted to be weirded out by Logan sharing a bed with Veronica still, but simply couldn’t muster the energy to care at this point. At least she was wearing pajamas and a tee shirt that seemed appropriate for around the apartment.

“Morning, Dad,” she mumbled, grabbing a bowl for cereal and a glass to pour milk into. “How’d you sleep?”

“Fine, honey. You?” Keith asked. 

“Woke up a couple times overnight, but I’m OK,” Veronica said.

Keith observed her facial expression, but saw nothing overtly concerning in it. He snatched the milk from where Veronica had left it and poured some into their coffees. “Ready to head back to Stanford?” he broached carefully.

Veronica sighed, her shoulders slumping slightly. “No. Not really.”

Reaching across the counter, Keith placed a hand on her arm and squeezed reassuringly. “Want to talk about it, honey?”

“I’m OK. Believe it or not, Weevil has been helping. I don’t think I told you about that whole thing, actually,” she said, pausing to take her first sip. “Weevil agreed to be, well, I guess confidante is the right word, but basically, if I need someone to talk to about my relationship with Logan, he’s there.”

Keith considered the ramifications of that. Eli had turned into a good person. Between the trip to Chardo’s and the All Star game, he’d spent real time with the guy for the first time ever, recently. Eli was nothing like the gang-leading criminal of Veronica’s youth, and he was proud of them for being so mature now. Though, it begged the question... “Does Logan have someone to talk to, too?”

“Who do you think?” Veronica asked, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Thinking about it, the answer came easily. “Dick. Should’ve known.”

“Yeah.” Veronica looked contemplative, like somehow the conversation had her venturing down a series of complicated brain mazes. “Dad, can I ask you a question?”

“Any time, Veronica,” he said, leaning back. 

“When did you start to like Logan, after everything my junior year?”

He laughed. “Going for an easy one, first.” Keith had expected to get the third degree the instant she’d gotten off the plane. That she waited several days was a testament to how happy things were in her life. “I never disliked him, honey. He was your friend, before Lilly died. He was hurting, and grieving, and lashing out, and there were days I’d have happily barred you from seeing him ever again to protect you, but I always liked him.”

“Then... Why did it seem like you never approved of us dating? Why is it that, only when I move away, did you get close to him? You went to his games, Dad. I didn’t even fucking know he was a hockey player,” Veronica whisper-shouted, her eyes beginning to glisten with frustrated tears.

“Oh, Veronica.” He walked around to her side and hugged her to him. “You have it all wrong, sweet pea. I... Maybe it wasn’t the best way of showing it, but when you got together with him at the end of your senior year, I  _ did _ like him. The first time, I was worried about you more than him, but if you’d stayed together, I would’ve supported you. It’s a terrifying thing, being a father.” He paused and let that abrupt change sink into her brain before continuing. “Walking in on Logan being angry, the day with the lamp... I was scared. I know he’s not like Aaron.” Keith lowered his voice when he said the name, in case Logan wandered out. “I know that now, and I knew it then.”

Veronica sniffled. “That bastard would hate how great Logan is. I hope he’s rotting in hell, forced to watch Logan make his own family, Dad.”

“Oh, I know. That’s just it, Veronica. He was always family to you, and I saw that. I’m not sure if I could’ve ever predicted how many twists your road was going to take, but I always liked him,” Keith said, rubbing Veronica’s shoulder from his side of the hug. “When you went away, it let me get to know him on a level that wasn’t ‘my daughter’s boyfriend.’ Instead, I could see him as another grieving, damaged human making the best of a shitty deck. Kind of like how I see Eli now.”

“We’re all a mess, huh?” Veronica offered up shakily. “Weevil, Logan, me, even Dick. One big fucked up family, made for each other.”

“You know, I let your first curse slide because it was in the heat of the moment, but that one is unnecessary,” Keith said, softening the comment with a smile.

It earned a watery, laughing grin. “Noted.”

“To finish the point, when Wallace invited me to Logan’s debut, and honestly even before that, I remembered that boy who was your best friend, who made you smile and laugh and cry and live life to its fullest. I’m really sorry I ever made you think I hated him or wouldn’t have supported you. I think you two make a cute couple. Though, honestly, Veronica. I’m a detective. Keep your hands above the table next time.”

Leaving her sputtering, Keith smiled and walked over to the cabinet, retrieving his Christmas gift and card for her. “Now’s as good a time as any for this, honey. I got you a little something.”

“Oh! I’ll be right back. I have something for you and Alicia, too.”

Keith sat there in silence while she rushed off to her bedroom. Shopping for his adult daughter was difficult, but he had some ideas for her. It was actually a conversation with Logan before he’d left for vacation that cemented his idea.

When Veronica came back with a small envelope, Keith fake glared at her. “You better not have spent a lot, daughter of mine.”

She dove into ripping open the card, scanning the letting on the outside and his message on the inside. He’d opted to keep it simple, writing only a small paragraph about how proud of her he was, how much he loved her, and how he couldn’t wait to see what she did with her present, both the money he’d left in the card and her actual gift. Watching as she began tearing into the wrapping paper, Keith smiled once her eyes lit up.

“Seriously, Dad?” she asked.

“Yep. Once you have a place of your own, this is an IOU for a pet. Cat, dog, horse, whatever you want. A binding promise from father to daughter. The money, spend well. Then, in a few year, we’ll pick out your new pet here in Neptune, OK?”

“Yeah,” she said, eyes misty. “Now, open yours.”

Keith did so, noting she’d gone more sentimental with her words. She waxed poetic about how happy she was to see  _ him _ happy. He returned the sentiment.

When he got to the gift card inside and read the amount, he narrowed his eyes. “Veronica...”

“It’s from both of us, Dad. To both of you. We went there while we were in Chicago. There’s a Capitol Grille in Costa Mesa. Take Alicia and enjoy an evening, OK?”

Nodding, Keith smiled. He reached around her to hug her. “I love you, honey.”

“I love you too, Dad.”

...

Dick waited nervously by the door as Susan walked up the driveway. Ever since he’d gotten out of the hospital, their relationship had been a bit... strained, was probably the word. She’d discovered Mac was one of his emergency contacts, and then he’d asked her to leave so he could talk to Mac.

One of those things might have been fine with her on its own, but both together seemed to annoy her to the point that there was an ever-present awkward energy between them. It sucked. Dick wanted to fix it, and had invited her over to talk. Later, after sending the text, he’d realized that was a shitty way to approach the situation, but the damage was done.

Now, he was standing, preparing to let her in. Right before she reached the door, Dick opened it, finding her mid-knock. He smiled hesitantly. “Hey, Susan.”

“Hi, Dick,” she said, tilting her head to the side in confusion. “Were you waiting by the door?”

“Uh, yeah,” he admitted, letting out a small laugh. “Wanna come in?”

Rolling her eyes, Susan nodded, then walked in after him. Dick led them over to the couch, then walked into the kitchen and grabbed two glasses, filling them with water. When he returned to the living room, Susan looked up at him, the anticipation bubbling over in her expression. “What did you want to talk about?” she asked, placing her stuff carefully on the table in front of them.

“I guess I wanted to apologize. And figure out where we stand. Things were a little awkward at times at the game, and I can tell you’re annoyed.”

“It’s not that I’m annoyed. I have a kid, Dick. I can’t just think of me. I don’t think you’d cheat on me, but I can’t really take a risk like that, especially if Alexa gets attached to you,” Susan said, wincing. “I don’t think you’re stringing me along or anything, but you obviously care about your friend Mac. I accept that maybe you had something personal to discuss with her on Monday, but I’m not sure why she needs to be your emergency contact.”

He’d figured as much, but hearing her confirm the source of their tension stressed Dick out. There was no way he could stop being friends with Mac - despite the issues between them right now, too - but he didn’t want to lose Susan. “I have a really fuckin’ complicated past with Mackie, babe. She understands a part of me that Logan doesn’t, and hanging out with her is just different. I’m not going to lie to you and say I’ve never thought about Mac that way. She’s pretty, and we get along really well. You wouldn’t believe me if I said that, anyway. I don’t cheat, though, and I’m with you because I want to be, not for any other reason.”

Reaching across the couch, Dick took her hands within his. “I can’t stop being friends with Mac, and I don’t think you’d ask me to do that. I have a lot on my mind right now, but I’ve really liked dating you. Can we keep doing that, and see where it takes us?”

“All right, Dick.” She got up, kissed him on the cheek, then gathered her pocket book. “Don’t stress about us, OK? We’re good. We can catch a movie tomorrow, if you want. Alexa’ll be with the babysitter.”

Dick nodded. It was more than he’d hoped for, but with everything else swirling around in his mind, he really liked getting to spend time with Susan.

“That sounds great.” He kissed her on the cheek, mirroring her previous action, and walked her to the door. It was different, and strange, yet something he should have experienced way earlier in life - an evening ending not with either passion or frustration, but a promise of more time spent together.

One uncomfortable talk down, one to go.

...

Stretching out on her comforter, Mac listened as her parents let Dick in. She knew he’d talked to Susan earlier in the evening, and now they needed to have a conversation. The entire week, Mac had mulled over what to do. She’d briefly spoken to Veronica about her own talk with Dick, but knew very little about how it’d gone.

Dick knocked on her bedroom door, and Mac called out, “Come in,” getting up to sit down in one of the two plastic chairs she’d arranged, similar to when he and Susan came over for the case. “Hi, Dick,” she said.

He grinned, a note of apprehension hidden beneath the outward confidence. “Hey, Mac.”

She nodded at the chair, and he took a seat. “How’d it go with Susan?” she said, attempting to steer the conversation toward safe waters to start.

“We’re going out again soon. She’s not mad,” he said.

“Yeah. Uh, sorry about that, I guess?” Mac tried. She sort of got why his girlfriend was mad about them being good friends, but figured there must’ve been other reasons for her reaction.

“Nah, it’s not your fault. It worked out for now, though.”

“You really like her, huh?” Mac asked.

He grinned again, like an idiot this time, a goofy smile on his face. “She keeps me grounded, and she’s fun and pretty and smart. I definitely like her. Haven’t really done the whole dating scene before, you know? Besides Maddy, but she sleeps with the devil.”

Mac laughed. “Yeah, I heard about her and Cobb.”

“Oh, right. I didn’t even mean that. Meant Sheriff Dickhead,” Dick said, reminding Mac that Veronica had told her once about that, during one of their more honest, drunken talks during her visit to Stanford.

“I have no idea what Madison was thinking there,” Mac said, chuckling. “Back to you and Susan, though?”

Smiling, Dick continued. “Well, this is only my second real dating experience, and it’s fun. I do like her.” His expression sobered. “I’d like her more if my bestest female friend in the world and I figured out where we stand, though.”

“I don’t know. I didn’t lie to you in the hospital, but talking to Veronica... I don’t know. I still want to be your friend, but I’m scared, Dick. I’m terrified that the person who thought that was OK is going to come back, and it’ll devastate me. Or, worse, my friends will end up heartbroken and shattered.”

Looking down at the ground, Dick said softly, “I don’t know if there’s anything I can really say to make you believe I’m not that person.”

“No,” Mac said, slowly. “There’s not. I think I need time, Dick. We can still hang out, but maybe, for now, let’s do it in groups, with Wallace and Susan around, too. I want to be around you, but... It’s just gonna take time, OK?” she said, frowning when he nodded quickly. “You’ve had years to come to grips with this, and Veronica always knew you were a douchebag. I let my guard down, and I need to make sure it’s safe to do so before I lower it again, OK?”

“All right,” Dick agreed, then put his hands on his knees. “I’ll pay up on that debt when you’re ready, yeah?”

Mac nodded. “You owe me a taco, Dick Casablancas. Don’t forget it.”

...

_ January 12, 2009 _

Veronica tried to think of happier scenarios than her current reality, but came up blank. Her dad and Alicia were throwing her and Logan a “goodbye” dinner of sorts, and Dick, Susan, Mac, and Weevil were coming by for ice cream after. 

Glancing around the table, she noted with amusement that Wallace kept trying to subtly spit out the kale when Alicia took her eyes off him. Keith and Alicia made the meal together, much like their homecoming meal on Tuesday. They served chicken cutlets, buttered noodles, and kale, a combination that Veronica found delicious, but had Logan and Wallace running for their napkins.

The ridiculousness and overwhelming  _ fun  _ of their actions brought a perpetual smile to Veronica’s face.

“No, I’m not,” Logan said, bringing her attention back to the actual conversation at the table.

“How about you, honey?” Keith asked.

She did a double take, looking at her boyfriend for help. So focused on Logan, she jumped when Wallace said, “Mom asked him if he’s all packed, V,” from her other side.

“Oh. Uh, no, I’m not. Mostly, though.” She’d been putting off gathering the last of her freshly-cleaned clothes, out of the realization it would make the looming departures into reality. “I’ll be ready long before we leave tomorrow, though. I’ll finish tonight.”

Logan grinned down at her, his eyes twinkling with mirth. Oh, yeah... They were planning a special evening together after all their friends left. He intended to  _ finish _ her. One last hurrah in her teenage bed, and all that. She was really looking forward to going to bed freshly fucked and loved all over one final time before they began the long-distance portion of their relationship.  _ God, tomorrow’s gonna  _ suck, she thought.

Licking his lips, Logan winked at her, and she found herself thinking back to her conversation with her father, blushing when she caught Keith’s eye. Her dad just rolled them, sighed, and looked back at his girlfriend.

Veronica remained lost in her own little world for the next few minutes, picking aimlessly at her food, reminiscing about the last month, toying with her Christmas gift. She’d hardly taken if off, except for sleep, and treasured the memories it invoked. She tuned back into the conversation, her mind still distracted by Logan-shaped deliciousness, in time to hear Wallace talking about his upcoming semester.

It was weird to think about Hearst now, a full on out-of-body experience. So many of her worst moments after high school were tied to a three month disaster in the middle of that year. Those decisions led Logan into Parker’s arms and her into Piz’s. While she liked Parker well enough now, that entire college could rot in hell for all she cared. It didn’t escape her that she, Mac, Logan, Wallace, and Parker had spent time as a group for the first time in almost two years after the All Star game. Looking back, Veronica was content to close that chapter of her life and focus on her friends, family, and boyfriend.

Her father looked so fucking happy. She’d always loved his relationship with Mrs. Fennel, once the fantasy of Excellent Mother, Lianne Mars evaporated. Now that they were happy, she hoped they stayed together for the long haul. In her little glimpses into their life now, everything seemed stable. 

After the group finished dinner, Veronica fired off a quick text to Weevil and Mac, watching as Logan presumably contacted Dick himself. The couple helped gather the dirty dishes into the sink, cleaning every visible surface so that things would be neat for their guests.

Veronica reached for Logan’s hand once they’d finished, squeezing it softly. She reached up and kissed him lightly on the lips. “Ready to see our friends one more time for now?”

“No,” he sighed against her mouth. “How did you live on your own for so long, V?”

She laughed. “Not well, Lo. It stinks, but it’s real life sometimes.” Veronica walked over to the window, smiling when she watched Weevil struggling to hold grocery bags full of ice cream. Several spots down, Dick and Susan were getting out of his car. Mac wasn’t with them, but she’d talked to her best girl friend yesterday and knew she’d hashed things out with Dick.

Opening the door, Veronica smiled brightly, waving at everyone. By the time Weevil and Jade ambled up the step, Mac had arrived, her favorite rocky road-flavored tub tucker under her shoulder. “Hi, guys.”

“V,” Weevil greeted, reaching around her to hug her. “How’re you feeling, chica?”

She laughed humorlessly. “Tired of that question, but otherwise, OK.” Grinning to make sure he knew she was kidding with him, she ushered him in, smiling at Jade. “Nice to see you, again.” Logan walked up to her side and took the ice cream from Mac, hugging her. “Hey, Mac,” she said when they pulled apart.

“Bond,” she said, nodding. 

Veronica stepped aside as Dick and Susan approached, the former allowing his girlfriend to enter first. “Dick.”

“Hey, Ronnie,” he said, looking a little hesitant.

“Come in,” she offered, breaking the silence. Susan looked confused at the tense moment, but shrugged it off, and the couple walked inside. Shutting the door behind them, Veronica made a beeline for Mac’s present. Rocky road was just what the doctor ordered for her craving tonight.

“I’m going to head to bed,” Keith spoke up, waving at all of the kids. “Have fun, be safe, and don’t wake us up, because we have to take Veronica to the airport tomorrow,” he said, ducking Alicia’s teasing swat. Alicia followed him back toward the bedroom, and Veronica grew wistful, relishing their easygoing relationship. It reminded her of how quickly she and Logan had fallen back into a comfortable routine together. To the point that an evening hanging out with their friends relaxed her instead of stressing her out.

“Can I have two scoops?” Dick was saying as Veronica focused back on her friends. He turned pleading eyes on Mac, who just rolled hers and nodded.

“I’ll take some too, please,” Jade politely said. The display of manners made Dick frown and mutter a, “Please,” too.

Wallace laughed, clapping Logan on the back. “Soon, your best friend is going to just parrot everyone else, buddy.”

“Real funny, Wally,” Dick chirped back, digging into his dessert. 

Veronica thought she’d feel weirder seeing Dick again, but felt OK about the place they were in after their conversation. The entire scene seemed surreal, yet delighted Veronica. Ice cream with her friends was one of those situations that left her waiting for the other shoe to drop.

She wasn’t surprised when Logan eventually asked Weevil for an update, but held her breath waiting to hear his response.

“Dveal fwent trough,” Weevil said, only to be met by a stern glare from Jade. He swallowed, then tried again. “Sorry,” he muttered. “The deal went through. FBI called Chardo earlier today. They have enough evidence with his testimony to charge Troy, Caitlin, Cobb, Sean, and a whole bunch of other people. Drug trafficking, distribution, attempted murder for a couple of them - not just Cobb,” Weevil revealed. He turned to Logan. “Chardo had enough to get Gory Sorokin arrested, but not the Fitzpatricks, unfortunately. You should be safe from that douchebag, now.”

Veronica let out a sigh of relief she hadn’t realized she was holding in. “So, that’s over, then? The FBI seemed confident they’d be able to convict?”

“Yeah. Chardo goes into witness protection immediately, and he’s leaving tomorrow. Only coming back for the trial. I said goodbye tonight.”

“Sorry, man,” Wallace said. “That sucks. Just sorted your shit out.”

Weevil waved them off. “Chardo needs this. I’m fine with it. Thanks, though.”

The rest of their evening passed by too fast. Dick exchanged Christmas gifts with Wallace, which was still weird to her. Apparently, Logan and Dick had done so quickly before Logan left for Chicago, both already having bought theirs for one another. 

Before Veronica knew it, she was saying goodbye to her friends. She told Mac to hang around for a second, but gave Weevil a hug, whispering that she’d text him from Stanford. She couldn’t bring herself to show that kind of affection for Dick, but gave him a wave, then offered Jade and Susan genuine smiles. She liked both women, and was glad for Dick and Weevil to have found them.

Turning to Mac, she said, “I owe you a present, Q.”

Mac lit up. “Right. I brought yours. Thanks for that reminder.”

Veronica handed her friend the small, neatly wrapped rectangular gift, observing in delight as Mac’s face morphed into a bright smile. “I hope you like it,” Veronica said. “When I heard they were making  _ Buffy _ skins, I was so happy.”

“That’s so funny, V. I got you something similar,” Mac revealed, grinning. She handed the package over, which Veronica noted was thinner, but a similar shape. 

Veronica greedily opened yet another present, her second in two days. The contents of the package were a small book, laminated and held together with red binding. On the cover, a picture of Mac and Veronica was juxtaposed with one of Buffy and Willow. “What is this?”

“It’s a scrapbook I put together. Pictures of us being badasses over the years, and Buffy and Willow in similar positions in the show. I didn’t have anything for Willow in the sixth season, though,” she said, grinning amusedly.

Wrapping her arms around Mac in an impulsive hug, Veronica whispered, “You’re the best, Q. It’s amazing.” Seriously, her friends were fucking awesome. 

“Only for you, Bond.” Mac hugged her back just as fiercely, while Logan and Wallace stepped over to the couch and let them have their girls moment.

After they broke their embrace, Mac decided to head home, wishing Veronica and Logan safe trips back.

Veronica’s last thought as she closed the door behind Mac was to find her two best friends a significant other, if they wanted one.

It gave her a personal case to work on in the months she’d be away.

...

Logan hugged Veronica as soon as the front door closed, ignoring Wallace’s fake gag. 

“I’m going to bed before you two get grosser,” he said, patting the pillow on the couch. “Please, for the love of everything I treasure, take it to her room.”

They both laughed, but listened to him. 

Veronica climbed out of her pants first thing, then lifted her shirt over her head, baring her beautiful body for Logan’s enjoyment. He quickly lost himself in his fantasy rotation, standing in the middle of her teenage bedroom. 

Over the years, he’d imagined himself taking her in a plethora of positions right in this bed; now, he’d actually had the opportunity to try many of them without risking Keith’s wrath. He decided to try for a face to face position tonight, so he could give his attention to her breasts. “C’mere, Bobcat,” he said, grinning. 

Veronica met him in front of her dresser, pressing her soft lips against his. “Hi.”

“Hi, yourself,” he said, laughing. He reached his arms around her waist, sliding his hands to cup her ass, pulling her closer. “Whatcha wanna do first, V?” 

“You pick tonight, Logan. This might be your last opportunity to fuck me in this bed, so you can lead. We never know when Dad will move in with Alicia,” she said, surprising Logan. He hadn’t considered that Keith and Mrs. Fennel might live together at some point, even though the idea should’ve occurred to him.

“I want you to sit on my cock then, Veronica,” he whispered, kissing her lips and sliding his tongue into her mouth. He trailed his hands over her smooth skin, then gripped her butt and lifted her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, then Logan walked them back toward the bed, careful to maneuver them so his back faced the headboard.

Logan placed Veronica on her bed, then shimmied out of his pants and boxers, leaving his naked cock jutting into the air. Veronica wrapped her neatly-manicured fingernails around the head and squeezed delightfully, but Logan wasn’t in the mood for foreplay and interrupted her with a kiss.

She got the picture, and hurriedly ditched her own underwear, then straddled his hips, lining his prick up with her wet pussy. As she sank down, Logan reattached their lips, swallowing her first few moans. He gripped her ass and began moving her up and down, taking control as per her instructions. Each of her downward thrusts caused his cock to fill her intimately, and ramped up the pleasure.

Logan leaned forward and licked her pert nipple, pressing kisses to her breasts as her chest heaved in sync with her the motion of her hips. God, she was so fucking beautiful and sexy. He was the luckiest man in the world, and could not wait to spend as much of his life as possible relishing in her glory. She was going to do magnificent things, and just being a partner in all things with her made his cock grow painfully hard inside her. 

Removing his mouth from her tits, Logan kissed her again, pouring all of his emotion into it: his passion, his love, and the excitement he felt. The energy between them cackled with electricity and passion. Veronica slowly took over the lead, bouncing from their position sitting up on the bed..

She reached behind his neck with her other hand, splaying her fingers through his hair. Pulling him closer, Veronica buried his head in her neck.  _ When in Rome...  _ Logan kissed the sensitive spot on her neck, the amazing pulse point he’d always fancied. It was such a fucking turn on to flip her world upside down like this. Logan smiled when she moaned, and kept pressing soft kisses to her skin, gently nibbling with his lips. 

When the pace of her moans sped up, nearing a crescendo, Logan reached around her and kneaded her ass cheeks, his thumb nearing her crinkled hole. She wasn’t prepared enough for proper anal play, but the tease, the feeling of his fingers approaching her asshole, pushed her over the edge. Logan kissed through her orgasm, drowning out the otherwise loud moans with his passion.

His lover satisfied, Logan set out achieving his own release, sliding down until he could turn them over, Veronica now on her back. Logan thrust deeper into her pussy, hitting a different angle inside her cunt from above. He kissed her neck again, thinking of the dozens of different times he’d sucked at that spot: outside Mars Investigations, the Neptune High bathroom, against the Xterra, the bleachers at Hearst, and many others. He’d fucked her in some of those places - a particular memory from one of their only voyeur-like romps flitted through his mind, of him on his back in his car, Veronica riding him with incredible intensity.

Remembering those occasions wa all it took, and Logan realized he was close. He kissed her sweetly and longingly, coming inside her pussy as she wrapped her legs around him, her heels digging into the flesh of his ass. Coming down after his orgasm, Logan sighed contentedly into her neck.  _ Woof _ . “How do we keep getting better at this, Veronica?” he asked, laughing.

“I’m honestly not sure, dude. It’s crazy,” she said, snuggling her body closer to him. “Does coming inside me make it better for you?”

Logan thought about that. It was different for him than her, he was sure. The friction of the condom always kept his prick contained, but feeling...  _ Veronica _ , all around him, in every way? That was an experience he cherished, another reason on the laundry list that made him love her with all his fucking heart. “I think so, yeah. It’s more intimate. Knowing that you’ve done this for me? It’s really... It’s incredible, Veronica.”

“You know, Logan,” she said, maneuvering their positions so she was the one with her head buried in his neck, as if hiding. “In a few years, I will have to get a new IUD. After that one, though... I’ll be, what, 25? We’re going to have to have a conversation about whether I should replace it at that point.”

Did she not want to have unprotected sex anymore? Huh? “Why wouldn’t you?”

“You’re so oblivious sometimes, muffin. I can’t get pregnant as long as I have this thing inside me.”

Yeah, that was the whole -  _ Oh _ . “You, uh.” He swallowed thickly. “You want to maybe have a kid with me, Veronica?”

“Logan, I love you. I don’t know if I want to have a kid with  _ anyone _ \- or get married. But if I did, then, yeah, it’d definitely be with you. I just think in a few years, that’ll be a conversation we should have.” She lowered her voice. “Down the line, of course.”

“Of course,” he said, sardonically. “Can you imagine us with a kid, V?”

“Are you kidding? We’d double team parenting and make it ours, Lo. We’re  _ Logan _ and  _ Veronica _ . We’re epic, and together, we can handle anything this shitty-ass world throws at us.”

Logan grinned, as he was wont to do whenever she quoted his speech back at him. Kissing her again, he said offhandedly, “Let’s get through long distance before we do kids.”

Veronica froze, taking his comment more seriously than he’d intended. Feeling her go rigid, he looked down at her.

“I didn’t mean anything by it, Veronica,” he said.

“I know, but I’m gonna miss you so fucking much, Logan. I’ve been thinking,” she said.

Logan bit back a quip about how that was never a good thing.

“I’m going to explore finishing my degree online. There’s no reason I can’t, right? I don’t need to graduate from Stanford. That way, we can explore the country together. Yeah, I’ll need time to actually focus on my studies - a lot of it, as I continue - but it gives me a lot of flexibility.”

Logan was absolutely touched that she’d even  _ consider _ uprooting her life - but, he didn’t want that. Not yet, at least. “Veronica, you have no fucking clue how much that means to me, but I want you to be sure. How about we try one semester of long distance, and when the summer arrives, we spend the entire three months together. At the end, if you still want to travel the entire freakin’ country with me, we can figure out a way to do that, OK? There are Chicago schools, where you could split online and in-person.”

Veronica nodded. “I like having options. I just don’t want to spend years at Stanford, separated from you and everyone else. Weevil gave me the idea, though he presented it differently, and I just couldn’t stop thinking about it.”

Smiling, Logan kissed her sweetly. “It’s a good plan, and I think it’ll work.” He paused. “Now that we have this ironed out... Wanna go again?”

“You’re insatiable,” Veronica said, laughing. Then she grinned. “Yes, though.”

As Veronica slipped him inside her, Logan groaned, his mind coming back to his earlier thoughts.

_ Woof _ .


	31. Game Over

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So. This it for Goal, and I need to give a longer author's note before diving in, to properly thank CubbieGirl1723. This story would never have happened without her encouragement, help planning, beta-reading skills, time, and enthusiasm. Seriously, she beta-read 110,000 words carefully, turning around a chapter per day to keep up with my wild idea to post one per day that sometimes ran 6,000 words in length. I can't thank her enough, but I figured I'd try here so all of you knew how much effort she had to put into this to help me make it happen. She deserves all the thank yous I have for this, and this note isn't enough, but it'll do for now. Thank you so much, CubbieGirl1723, for beta-reading this final chapter :D
> 
> Thank you to every single reader who gave this a chance, for all the kudos and comments and hits and bookmarks. They all mean a lot to me, and helped make this happen. Talking to readers improved this story. Several times, I added scenes after a reader made me realize I'd overlooked something.
> 
> Note the date at the beginning.

_August 18, 2012_

Logan checked his phone for the umpteenth time that afternoon, his nerves running at a mile per minute. Everything was in order. It just fucking _had_ to work. He had the details ironed out, but anything could go wrong. God, it’d been a goddamned disaster getting Veronica to Neptune without arising any suspicion. She was the most naturally curious woman he’d ever met, and it both infuriated and aroused him.

Dick texted him back, passing along a **Keith says to calm the fuck down, bro** with some emojis tacked onto the end. _Deep breaths, Logan_. He glanced up from his spot in the driver’s seat, noticing Veronica headed back from the bank. 

Her mom had done the bare minimum and mailed a birthday check to Keith’s place, so they’d decided to drop by the bank on the way back from the beach and cash it.

The bank’s proximity to Logan and Dick’s house gave everyone ample time to get into place, but he was getting really fucking nervous the closer they got to the actual event.

“Hi, honey,” Veronica said, sitting down in the passenger’s seat and bouncing in place. 

“How’d the bank treat you, birthday girl?” Logan asked, leaning over to kiss her cheek.

“They didn’t notice the date.” She pouted, then perked up. “Oh well. So, when are you going to tell me what you got me, Logan? I’m dying, over here.”

“Nuh-uh. Not spilling.” Logan grinned, putting the car in drive. The last four years had been pure bliss, a continuous trip to heaven. He thought back over the sequence of events as he drove out of the lot. 

After a few months of a reasonable long distance routine - Skype calls, sexting, sweet terms of endearment, and emojis galore - they had both grown antsy, missing each other terribly. On impulse, after a first-round playoff sweep gave him back a weekend, Logan had flown to Stanford, surprised Veronica, and spent a wonderful two days with her, mostly in her bedroom. 

They had fit half a year’s worth of sex into 48 short hours, breaking to eat, watch some movies, and just generally talk about their lives with one another. During one of their softer post-sex conversations, Veronica admitted she’d begun searching in earnest for online school options, and that had been that.

Now, he had a live-in girlfriend, a good life and career, and was the proudest boyfriend going. Veronica was _phenomenal_ at her job, deploying her skills to help the helpless get justice. She primarily worked from Chicago for a local law firm, though if she went to Logan’s road games, she would check in with her contacts to see if they needed any help with easy things.

Logan pulled onto the driveway to the beach house he used to share with Dick, glancing over at Veronica. She was surprised by their destination, as he’d expected. “Dick has a birthday gift for you. He texted while you were in the bank, so I said we’d stop by on the way back to your dad’s.”

Nodding, Veronica got out of the car, walking ahead of him. He sped up so that by the time they reached the door, they were side by side. _God, I hope Dick has everyone in place_.

Veronica took the key out of his hand and stuck it into the hole, twisting the knob and pushing the door open when the resistance vanished. “Do you know what he got me?” she asked offhandedly, switching the light on.

“Surprise!”

Logan grinned, observing her expression as she took in the many faces greeting her. He’d gone all out, dragging everyone out of the woodwork to celebrate her birthday. Their core group was obviously invited, and even though Veronica would never be a socialite, she was more friendly now, so he’d wracked his brain for weeks trying to think of anyone else she liked.

Grabbing her hand, he ushered her around the room, beginning to greet guests. “Happy birthday, Bobcat,” he whispered in her ear.

“How’d you manage all of this without me finding out, Lo?” she asked, eying him suspiciously.

“Exactly how you’d think. Your dad and Dick helped. Mac tracked down numbers and addresses. Wallace mailed invites so you never saw them.”

“I can’t believe everyone is here,” she said, shaking her head. Veronica walked up to two of her guests, Logan right behind her. She hugged Weevil first. “Hey, man.”

“Happy birthday, V,” he said, grinning. “Your boy put together quite the bash.” Weevil clapped Logan on the shoulder. “How’re you gonna top this for Echolls’ 25th in March, V?”

She chuckled. “Nobody throws a party like Logan. Hi, Jade,” she added, hugging the other woman. “How’ve you been?”

“Getting ready for the new school year,” she said, shrugging. “I have a smaller class this year.”

Logan had heard she’d gotten a better class this year, via Weevil. “Still teaching middle school, yeah?” he asked.

“Yup. Those kids are the perfect age. They don’t drink yet, but are self-sustaining.”

Seeing the other guests starting to mingle amongst themselves, Logan pointed out the rest of the people, nudging Veronica until she told Weevil, “We’ll catch up later,” and followed.

They had a long line of people to meet and greet, and he wanted to actually freaking enjoy the party himself at some point!

...

Veronica smiled as she spotted her two best friends chatting together. “Hi, people,” she said, pulling both Mac and Wallace into a quick group hug. “How’re the two best friends a girl could ask for?”

“Nuh-uh, Bond. We all know Logan’s your best friend,” Mac said, laughing.

“That doesn’t count,” she protested, smiling despite herself when Wallace laughed.

“Echolls pulled out all the stops, Supafly,” Wallace said. “Look at who he invited.” Her BFF stepped aside, revealing one of the friends she’d missed over the years. They hadn’t gotten off to a good start, but by the end, they’d been genuine friends.

“Really, Lo?” she asked, glancing at him. He’d strode up next to them some time during the group hug. Her boyfriend just smugly grinned, unrepentant.

“You are happy to see me, right?” the woman asked, startling Veronica.

“Oh! I’m sorry. Of course I am.” She reached forward and pulled her into a hug. “It’s wonderful to see you again, Jackie. I’m just curious how my wonderful boyfriend kept all of this from me,” she said, shaking her head. “I had no idea. I mean, he got me to come to Neptune by pointing out Dad would want to see me. I just didn’t expect all this.”

Jackie smiled. “You two always were going to end up together again. It’s great to see you happy, Veronica. Logan, you deserve happiness, too.” She quickly walked up to Logan and gave him a quick hug. “Thanks for inviting me.”

Veronica observed Wallace’s reaction. In the years since that first winter when everything changed, she’d never quite been able to pair Wallace off with anyone. She and Logan were constantly looking for someone who matched their friend, but nobody met her admittedly strict standards for someone as wonderful as Wallace. He kept his attention on Jackie as she talked, and dammit, he still looked smitten. She’d have to find out more about Jackie’s current life.

As her friends kept the conversation going around her, Veronica surveyed the rest of the guests. Logan had gone all out, and she was really fucking happy to see so many friendly faces. Standing against the clear, glass windows that overlooked the beach, Parker was talking to Gia, a friendship match she never would’ve expected, but oddly fit.

To nobody’s surprise, Dick was playing with Alexa. She wasn’t even sure if Dick was still together with Susan, but the mother-daughter combo had become entrenched in their little group no matter what. Dick had stepped into the role of a father figure for the little girl, and filled it admirably, teaching her life lessons that Susan either ceded to him or didn’t have.

Susan and Carrie were chatting with Alicia by another window, and Keith seemed to be enjoying a beer with Cliff and, to Veronica’s shock, Nathan Woods. She hadn’t seen Wallace’s father since Chicago, but to see him standing there, drinking with his ex-wife’s fiancee, shook her worldview a tiny bit. Then, Veronica noticed the unfamiliar young woman standing right by Nathan’s side, and her eyes widened. 

Tugging at Logan’s sleeve, she pulled his attention from their friends. “Is that Tamara?”

Wallace answered her, instead of her boyfriend. “Yeah. Want me to introduce you?”

“Sure,” she said absently. They walked over, and Veronica registered Mac and Jackie staying in their corner of the room. The trio stopped a few feet in front of Nathan, but didn’t interrupt the conversation her dad and Nathan were having.

Eventually, Wallace just gestured for Tamara to come over, which she did. “Hi, Wallace,” she said. “Are you Veronica?” she asked.

“I am,” Veronica said. Tamara reached out for a hug, which Veronica awkwardly returned. She’d gotten better at showing her friends affection, but still had trouble hugging new people, which she felt was reasonable. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“You too. God, you’re, like, a legend in our family. Dad talks about you, and how you helped bring Wallace and me together. Thank you for that, by the way. I very much enjoy having a brother.”

Veronica decided she liked the girl. She was innocent and full of life, the type of person Veronica was always open to adding to their friend group. “I’m sure Wallace likes having a sister,” she said, nudging her friend to tease him. “When did you get to Neptune?”

“Well, we’re spending the whole week visiting Wallace, so Wallace asked Logan if dad could come and bring me. Mom was OK with it. Ever since Dad convinced her to let Wallace and I meet each other, she’s really liked him.”

Veronica smiled. Wallace looked happy, and dammit, Nathan and Tamara did, too. Alicia was even softly watching the scene. She wondered if it was Alicia’s first time meeting her... What even _was_ Tamara, to her? Her son’s half-sister didn’t have a nice ring to it, but it was the reality. 

“I’m glad you came. It’s really nice to finally meet you,” Veronica said, smiling. “I need to go mingle with the rest of the guests, but we should grab some coffee while you’re in town. Boy, do I have some great stories about your brother,” she added, ducking to avoid Wallace’s half-hearted swat at the back of her head.

“Sure,” Tamara agreed. With a nod at Nathan, Veronica turned back toward Logan and Wallace. They waited for her cue, so she decided to go greet Gia and Parker next. While Wallace went back to talk to Jackie and Mac, Logan followed her, reaching down to clasp their hands together.

...

Weevil found a pair of white, plastic folding chairs secluded from the rest of the room and led Jade over to them. He liked most of the guests well enough. For the life of him, he couldn’t figure out how Gia Fucking Goodman entered his expanded social circle, but once the annoying habits grew on you, she wasn’t so bad.

Turning to face Jade, he asked, “How’re you doing, babe?”

“It’s been fun so far, Eli. Your friends always crack me up.”

He supposed it was better that she found their antics amusing rather than worrying. At that very moment, Alexa let out a high-pitched squeal, Dick ticking her sides. It was a really cute scene, and made Weevil wonder what being a father would be like. He and Jade’d had one scare where she missed her period, but were both relieved when it turned out to be a false alarm. Afterward, they’d finally discussed their expectations for the future, and found they both wanted children - but, way down the line. 

“He’s good with her,” Jade commented, nodding at Casablancas. Dick’s role in his new life was the most surprising aspect of all. He sometimes remembered the complete fucking douchebag the guy had been and couldn’t believe the changes. But, they were real, and Dick was a good friend now to all of them. Veronica was the glue, but Dick’s relationship with Susan extended their family by four additional people.

“Yeah. He is,” Weevil said. “Yo, Casanova. Bring Alexa over here so we can talk to her, too,” he called out.

Dick perked up at the idea and quickly maneuvered out from his tickling war with his protege - it terrified Weevil that the little girl already had snippy one-liners at her disposal. She was a snarky, miniature combo of Susan and Dick. The entire group was dreading her teenage years. When Dick and Susan went out on dates, they’d developed a babysitting routine, shared with Susan’s family. The first time Weevil and Jade had taken a turn, the kid ruled the entire fucking house by the time the night was over.

“Hi, Jade!” Alexa yelped, rushing over and hugging his girlfriend. He watched as her expression morphed into a wide smile, and grinned himself.

“Hi, honey,” Jade said.

Dick walked over and sat down next to Weevil, who nodded in greeting. “Hey, Weevs.”

“How’s it going, Dick?” he asked.

“Eh, could be worse. Glad this party’s finally happening, though. Damn, Logan’s a tough cookie when he’s in planning mode, especially for Ronnie.” Weevil snorted, knowing how true that was from his own time helping Echolls plan this shindig. “How are things on your end?”

“Pretty good, honestly. Did you see the news?” Weevil asked.

“Yeah. Can’t believe all of the trials took this long,” Dick said, shaking his head.

Weevil sort of agreed. “Chardo can live his life without looking over his shoulder now, though. Cobb and Madison are in prison for 30 to life for their role. Gory got sentenced to high-security prison. Sean, Troy, and Caitlin won’t see the light on the outside for at least a decade. It took awhile, but I’m pretty fuckin’ happy about our part in it all.”

“Yeah, man. Sometimes I think about what would’ve happened if I ignored my Ronnie senses that first night. Dude, we might never have gotten you off those theft and fraud charges!” Dick exclaimed, the horror at the thought clearly visible on his face.

It made Weevil laugh. “Last I checked, you didn’t do anything, Dick. Carrie’s the one that pointed a finger at Chardo for me.”

“I saved Carrie!” he protested. 

Shaking his head, Weevil said, “And you won’t let us forget that.”

Dick sobered up quickly at that. “It’s a good thing I did, you know? I’m happy I ignored Lego that day and followed Carrie and Gia back to their place.”

Weevil sighed, turning to look at Jade. Reminders of that wild month when he got this group of friends never failed to make him emotional. He’d gotten Veronica, Logan, Wallace, Mac, and Dick as friends in one fell swoop, all because V was a magnet for trouble and drama back then. There were so many close calls that month, so many ways shit could’ve gone completely fucking sideways. He was really glad it all worked out.

Patting the ring in his left pocket, he reached for Jade with his right hand, content with the way life had gone.

...

Wallace listened to Mac and Jackie talking about the latter’s kid, feeling as if the entire party was an out-of-body experience. Gosh, he’d fucking missed Jackie. He knew Logan planned to invite her, but it’d been _so_ long since that day in New York... He hadn’t really known how to react upon seeing her.

She was just as beautiful all these years later, and still seemed really into him. With Mac hanging out, he hadn’t had a chance to ask her about the rest of his week, yet. His father and Tamara were visiting for the whole week, but there would probably be an opportunity to grab lunch with Jackie at some point.

Was it worth it, though? Could he open himself up to a woman, again? Making himself vulnerable, only to watch Jackie walk right out his life for a second time would be devastating. She still had a kid, and her life was entrenched in New York. Although, what was _really_ in Neptune for him now? Veronica and Logan were permanent Chicago residents ever since the Blackhawks called up Logan. His mom and Keith were engaged, the wedding scheduled for less than four months away. Tamara and his father had lives in Chicago, too. He’d considered the possibility of building a life in the Windy City, but simply didn’t enjoy it enough.

Dick and Mac were in Neptune, but... They had their own lives, ones that didn’t really involve him. Mac’d finally revealed the truth of her birth family to everyone during the Sinclair trial, and had been there for her birth mother and sister during the worst times of their life. She wanted to stay for them, and for her parents and brother. Dick now had connections tying him to California forever. Alexa would skin him alive if he ever permanently left town.

Wallace didn’t have such issues. He _could_ leave. Living a life in New York would be an adventure. Listening to Mac and Jackie talk about the current news, he made the decision to start with coffee. It wasn’t a good idea to make anything of it until he was sure Jackie actually liked him. Even if she didn’t, he wanted to start seriously looking for a good way to distract himself from his friends moving on with their lives around him.

That month spent in Chicago had jumpstarted the turning point in all their lives, and Wallace needed another change. Maybe Jackie wasn’t it, but he wanted to do _something_ to mix it up.

Perhaps he needed to explore a career change.

...

After finishing her conversation with Jackie, Mac found herself wandering over to Susan, Alicia, and Carrie. In the months after she revealed to everyone that she’d been born a Sinclair, she bonded with Susan and ended up with a close friend. They both had complicated pasts tied to adoption, with the Knights pushing their daughter to put Alexa up for it. But Susan had made herself vulnerable, spilling secrets to Mac about her family and their reaction to Alexa’s birth.

Mac confided in Susan details only Veronica knew about her past after that, and relished having a new friend. That her best guy friend was dating Susan helped. There were still some lingering feelings for Dick, but she largely felt only platonic toward him now. By becoming better friends with Susan, she hoped that they’d work out their shit. They had a similar on-again, off-again dynamic like Logan and Veronica used to, but... One set of best friends had worked through their shit. Why wouldn’t another?

Carrie noticed her first, when she got close, waving. “Hey, Mac.”

“Hi, Carrie. Susan. Mrs. Fennel.” Her two friends had twin red solo cups, presumably filled with water. Susan drank alcohol - she and Mac had spent many a gossip sesh downing wine with Veronica over the last few years - but in solidarity with Carrie, only drank water when the latter was around. 

“What’s up, Mac?” Susan asked. 

Mac said nothing, just glancing out the window at the beautiful beach scene. “Just thinking a lot. Jackie’s got a kid. Did you know that?” She barely noticed Alicia leaving them to their conversation.

Susan nodded. “Wallace mentioned it to Dick once, when Dick brought her up randomly.”

“She abandoned her kid for two years, and then came back for him.” She hesitated. “It’s not the same, but both my family and Madison’s ignored the other child. The Sinclairs fucked up Madison so badly. Should I be there even _more_ for Lauren?”

Susan walked up to her and hugged her, though Carrie stood back. Mac and Carrie had discussed the Madison situation once. Madison’s involvement with Cobb made her the devil to Carrie, and Mac couldn’t really say she blamed her friend for that opinion. 

“You’re a good friend and sister, but I think you do plenty for Lauren and Mrs. Sinclair, hun,” Susan said, rubbing her shoulder.

“I agree,” Carrie said, surprising Mac. “Oh, don’t give me that look. The kid’s innocent in all this, and you’re great to them. Stop worrying so much, Mackenzie. We give you enough drama here in Neptune.”

Mac laughed, looking over at Veronica and Logan, then Weevil and Dick, and finally Wallace. Her friend circle was supportive as hell, and she could draw from their examples if she ever needed help. 

That was what it was all about.

...

Keith was proud of Veronica, Logan, and their friends. He chose to stand away from everyone else so he could observe the young ones. Each and every one of them had come so far since their high school days, and the changes always brought a smile to his face. 

After Lilly’s murder, he’d been afraid. Mostly that Veronica would never recover, but also that too many other people in this wretched town would suffer unnecessarily. Glancing at Alicia, walking toward him after Mac had joined the other girls, Keith smiled.

“Hi, dear,” he whispered, kissing her cheek. Alicia nestled herself into a hug. It was weird that they were the parental hens of this wacky lot of people. Now that Veronica had entered her late 20s, moved away, and was doing well for herself, Keith had proposed to Alicia earlier in the year. “How are the girls?”

“They’re good. I worry about Carrie. I know what it’s like to have drugs change the course of your life. She’s surrounded herself with good people, though, Keith. Our _kids_ are good people.”

Keith smiled at her. “They are, aren’t they?” Neither he nor Alicia wanted any more kids, but they were damned proud of the ones they had. Wallace and Veronica were delightful, wonderful people.

When Logan had first approached with the idea of a surprise birthday party, Keith doubted how realistic it would be. The guy was determined to give Veronica the best present, and had all sorts of ideas.

Looking around the room, at the bright smiles on everyone’s faces, Keith supposed Logan just might have succeeded. The next time they’d all be together would be in December for his wedding to Alicia; taking in all the smiles, Keith had a feeling that night would be one to remember, too.

It made him hug Alicia tighter and feel content, full of love, and hopeful for the future.

...

After his conversation with Weevil died down to a comfortable silence, Dick waited for a chance to break away and talk to other people. Everyone was happily engrossed in their own conversations, so he didn’t want to intrude. Speaking with Weevil was still a bit strange for him. The guy had made something extraordinary of himself over the years, and Dick felt like he was looking in a mirror sometimes.

Neither of them resembled the people they’d been back in high school, and that was a good thing. Weevil was a family man, preparing to propose to Jade - _Yeah, I noticed those fidgeting hands, pal_. When Mac broke away from her talk with Susan, Dick made a beeline for her. “Hey, Mackie!” he called, stopping her in her tracks.

“Hi, Dick,” she said, reaching forward to hug him.

“How’s Kane software treating you?” he asked. Between the prep work for the party and his own business, things were too busy to spend the amount of time he wanted to with Mac. He really fucking missed her. It’d taken her awhile to be comfortable enough to hang out alone with him, but after that happened, they’d gone back to the routine that made her one of his best friends. At least, they’d hung out, until she got this new job.

“I still can’t believe I sold out and joined the dark side. When should I tell Veronica, you think?” Mac asked. Dick knew she’d been nervous about this. The Mars family’s issues with Jake Kane were no secret in their group.

He shrugged. “She’ll understand, Mac. Trust her. Ronnie won’t let you down.” Dick believed that, fully. Veronica would let Kane bygones be bygones and be happy for Mac. The Marses in general were like that.

He glanced over to where Keith stood, hugging Alicia. The sight of the kitchen behind Mr. Mars made Dick thirsty. “I think I’m going to grab a beer. Do you want one?”

“No. Thanks, though, Dick.” Mac veered off to go say hi to Weevil, leaving Dick to walk toward the refrigerator. Most of the guests had arrived shortly before Veronica and Logan, so there hadn’t been much social time.

As Dick fetched a Heineken from the bottom shelf, he noticed Susan walking up behind him in his peripheral vision. “Hey,” he said over his shoulder.

“Hi, Dick. Wish I could join you, but....” Susan turned around and leaned back against his kitchen shelves, shaking her solo cup of water. “Rain check?”

“Yeah, I know you need to drink water in solidarity. On the rain check, sure. How about after work on Wednesday?” Dick asked. “Is it a busy week?”

“Nah. There aren’t a lot of adoptions in the pipeline this month, for some reason,” Susan told him.

After Mac’s big reveal, Susan had decided to put her passion to work and joined a company that focused on making adoptions run smoothly, doing background checks on families, and helping the children before they could join their new families. Dick was fucking proud of how much she’d grown during the three and a half years they’d been in each other’s lives. “You’re happy, right?” he asked.

“I am. How about you?” she asked. “The Dick Casablancas Kids School for Surfers is a success? I still can’t believe you weren’t tempted to take two letters in your first name for the logo.”

“Ye of little faith. DICKS for Surfers... I was tempted, but I dismissed it. Maybe if it weren’t a school for kids.” Dick didn’t think his logo was particularly catchy, but it worked well enough. “And, yeah, I’m happy. I’d be happier if we made everything work between us, though.”

“There’s still time, buddy. We’re aging spectacularly,” she said, with a wry smile

Grinning, Dick pulled her into a hug. “Let’s hang out Wednesday, then see what happens, OK?”

Susan smiled. “Sure, Dick.”

Life had taken weird turns to get here, but Dick wouldn’t give up his makeshift family for anything.

...

As the party flew by, Logan knew it was time to bring out Veronica’s birthday dessert. Wallace, Mac, Keith, and Alicia had helped brainstorm the perfect ideas for a cake.

He wheeled a food cart out, then ushered Veronica to the front of the room. “Happy birthday, Bobcat,” he whispered into her ear. Lifting the opaque cover from the cart, Logan revealed the cake in all its glory, relishing in the amusement and delight present in Veronica’s eyes.

“It’s awesome, Logan,” she said, reaching up to kiss him. They’d ultimately decided to go for a simple chocolate cake decked out with marshmallows around the edges. They propped the fluffy treats up with toothpicks, then added a scaled version of the planet Mars to the top. Alicia had made it with fondant and food coloring.

Along the outside, Logan used a squeeze bottle full of icing to initial the names of all their friends to the cake. He hugged Veronica, telling her, “I took a picture of it before covering it to bring it out, Veronica. After we sing, you’re home free to cut right into it, hun.”

Shaking her head, Veronica put a finger to his lips. “Don’t ruin this insanely sweet moment with that nickname, Lo.” She removed her finger and kissed him.

“Everyone ready?” Logan asked. 

Receiving a room full of nods, Logan began singing, “Happy birthday to you...”

Dick added his own flavor to the rendition, yelling out, “Cha Cha Cha,” between verses, and they each used their own version of her name at the end - V, Veronica, Ronnie - but all in all, Logan thought it went well.

Veronica laughed happily as she sliced through the chocolate with the cake server Dick’d bought for the occasion. She reached up and kissed Logan afterward. “I know I’m not supposed feel to way, but I hope this happiness never goes away, Logan Echolls,” she whispered in his ear.

Logan wholeheartedly fucking agreed.

...

Veronica sat on Dick’s couch as guests began to say their goodbyes. 

She hugged Nathan and Tamara, reminding the latter she’d be in touch about coffee and Wallace gossip. Her best friend hadn’t been super happy to hear about that again. Cliff showed rare affection in his goodbye, telling her how proud he was of the person she’d become. Gia and Carrie hadn’t come in for hugs, instead waving and wishing her a happy birthday, which was quite fine with her. She liked the girls well enough, but they weren’t on a hugging level.

The rest of her farewells brought tears to her eyes.

Weevil had grown into one of the most loyal and trustworthy people she knew. He told her, “Let me know if you need any help tracking down some criminals before you head back to Chicago,” laughed, and hugged her. He then whispered into her ear that he planned to propose to Jade soon, which made the first tears slip down her cheeks. Those stayed as she hugged Jade in turn.

Dick and Susan came in for a group hug with Logan, too, when Susan left, and she was really happy the former pair seemed to be ready to work on shit again. She’d seen them talking in the kitchen at one point and shipped that relationship. It was good for both of them. Alexa didn’t hug her traditionally, instead going in for a first bump. 

Wallace held Jackie’s hand as he got ready to leave. “We’re gonna hang out a bit more,” he said sheepishly, shrugging his shoulders.

Laughing, Veronica hugged him and Jackie, offered to meet her if Wallace got tied up with his father, and showed them out the door.

That left Dick, Mac, Alicia, and her dad, though only one of them actually lived in the house.

Veronica shakily went to her dad first. “Thanks for planning all this, pops. I know you helped Logan a lot.” She hugged him tightly, burying her face into his neck.

“I’m proud of you, kiddo,” Keith said. “I’ll see you before you go a few times, OK? Then before you know it, you’ll be back for the wedding in December.”

She nodded, letting him go. Turning to Alicia, she wrapped her arms around her soon-to-be step mother’s waist. “Thanks for treating me like another kid.”

“Always, Veronica.”

Saving Mac for last, Veronica embraced her closest girl friend. They’d been through a lot together, and she knew Mac was among the best of them. “Text me when you’re ready to talk about your new job, OK, Q?” she whispered.

Mac nodded, laughing lightly. “Of course you’d know.”

“I always do, Mac.”

After they’d left, it was just her, Logan, and Dick. Then the latter left them alone, retiring to his bedroom. Logan walked her over to the couch, sitting down and pulling her onto his lap. “Did you have a good birthday, Veronica?”

“The best, Logan.” She sighed happily. “It’s really great to see everyone so happy. You’re a sneaky one, mister. Inviting Tamara and Jackie... I loved it all, Lo.” Veronica rested her head on his shoulder, burrowing herself into his embrace.

“I love you, Veronica,” he told her, smiling against her hair. “We have some great friends.”

“We do. You know, Weevil is going to propose to Jade soon. He told me tonight,” she said. Looking up at Logan, she waited until he met her eyes. “I still don’t know if I ever want to get married, Logan. Hearing him say that... I’m not sure it’s for me. It didn’t sound as bad as I used to think marriage would be, but I still don’t know. I am going to love you forever, no matter what, Logan Echolls. And we’ll talk about kids and marriage soon.”

Logan glanced down at her, tears in his eyes. He nodded.

“As long as you love me, and I get to live the rest of my life with you, Logan, I’m going to be happy,” Veronica told him, curling up into his side and falling asleep with a content smile on her face. 

Game Over.

**Author's Note:**

> Another huge thank you to CubbieGirl1723 and everyone who came on this journey with me. The comments, kudos, reactions, and enthusiasm made this super fun for me, and Cubbie's reactions helped push this story forward every day as she amazingly kept up with me.


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